Nurturing Purple, Soothing Green, Innocent Black
by The Black Maiden
Summary: "Every lie they told you, they told you out of love." Perhaps lies told from love can offset the reality of what it is; a lie. When love is real sacrifices must be made. Sometimes that sacrifice is the truth. "But think about it; didn't you grow up so much happier because of it?" After much thinking, she replied "Yes...I did." GAMEVERSE, Slightly AU.
1. Adoption

**Konichiwa!**

**Ok, I'll be taking a short break from my other stories for a while (Don't worry; I won't be stopping Mariposa Priere) to work on this. It's just a little thing I had in my head for a while and finally decided to put down on paper.**

**Hope you enjoy and I'll see you at the end!**

* * *

September 25, 2039

Location: Earth, San Francisco, CA.

12:04 A.M

The city was completely dark and lifeless, and only illuminated by a small fire that burned near the west side. Around the scene lay the remains of what had once been a jeep, but was now a burning wreck. The owner, having survived the explosion, look like they had been taken out by any amaranths that were nearby.

A few miles away, two pairs of shoes scuffed the ground as they approached the scene.

"Todo un espectáculo, no es así?" One of them, the female, said in fluent Spanish.

The other one, this one male, simply shrugged. "A bit sad, actually."

The woman laughed. "For who, the truck or the people in it?" Twirling around, she latched onto him and kissed his lips.

He, in return, kissed her back, and moaned in pleasure. "How do you always make everything enjoyable?"

She smirked. "I'm just talented like that." She replied. She pulled away and pranced away. "Come on! Let's go check this thing out!" Then in a flash of purple, she teleported away down to the burning wreckage.

"Mii, wait up!" The man called, teleporting after her, this time in a flash of green.

"Hurry up, Lirio!" She called back. Her image was illuminated in the firelight, revealing her to be a young lady with shining purple hair and eyes, a witch's hat, and a dazzling figure that would attract men-and women-for miles.

As the man, named Lirio, reached her, the light cast over him as well, enabling a clearer view. He wore a short leather jacket with straps crossing it, black trousers, and had blazing green eyes and snow white hair, cut by a black streak running down the side.

They slowly approached the car, and Mii drew her axe and poked at the wreckage. When it didn't explode, she spread her arms wide, and a thick cloud of dark red and black smoke covered the vehicle, putting out the fire. Once the fire was out, she pried open the door (which fell off as soon as she touched it) and began pawing through the glove compartment.

Lirio went around to the back of the truck and opened the trunk, rummaging around. He pulled out a few charred notebooks and a couple of guns, some test tubes, a few beakers, and a few exploded bottles of chemicals, but other than that, there was noting in there of interest.

"Nothing in here!" Mii shouted. "Some old maps, but they're burnt beyond legible, now." She clambered out of the truck. "I'm gonna check around."

"Sounds good." Lirio replied. "Nothing much here, anyway."

The two began to scout the opposing areas around the truck, until Lirio heard Mii call out. "Lirio, come look at this."

He jogged around to the other side of the jeep. Mii was a few feet away, crouched by a pile of rocks, peering underneath one into a dark space below.

She motioned for him to crouch down. "Look at this." She whispered. He looked down and his eyes widened.

There was a basket underneath the rock, and inside the basket lay a tiny, black haired baby wrapped in a blue blanket with shooting stars decorating it, like the kind you would find in a nursery. On top of the sleeping baby lay a sticky not that said "Please let this child be safe."

Lirio picked up the note. "It's signed W.G…" He read. He looked up and saw Mii lifting the baby out of the basket, propping her up in the crook of her elbow.

"What are you doing?!" He exclaimed. "That thing could be dangerous!"

Mii looked at him skeptically. "Lirio, it's a baby, not a bomb."

"We don't know that!" He cried, though listening to himself it dawned on him how stupid he sounded.

Mii smiled. "I think I've been in this business long enough to be able to tell the difference between an infant and a weapon of mass destruction." She held the baby up for him to see. "Besides, look at her little face~"

"Her?" He looked at the baby. "How can you tell?"

In response, Mii held out the baby's wrist, which was wrapped in a pink wristband with "It's a Girl!" written on it.

She cradled the baby against her chest, rocking her gently from side to side as she began to whimper. "Shh, mija, shh. El sol casi se ha aumentado, y la noche está a punto de terminar." In response the baby relaxed against her chest and fell into a deep sleep.

Mii stood up. "Here, help me with the basket."

"What do you mean?" He replied. "You're not thinking about taking her home, are you?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking." She replied, adjusting the baby's position in her arms ever so slightly.

Lirio sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mii, you know why we can't do that. It would start an uproar. We would be demoted for it…or worse."

"So you're suggesting we just leave her here?"

"We don't have any other choice. She'll die if she comes with us."

"She'll die if she stays here!" Mii was now clutching her against her chest tightly, as if she would die if she let go. "At least if we bring her home they can put her down quickly! If we leave her out here she'll starve or freeze or dehydrate to death!"

Lirio held his hands up. "I don't like it either, but if the General says we can't then it's the law."

"The General hasn't checked in on us since we first came here." She insisted. "It would be fine."

"I'm sorry." He answered. "If it was just my life I'd say ok, but I can't risk you being punished for it."

Mii was starring at the ground. The only light now was that of the moon shining on them, and it gave her a ghostly glow. Without another word she walked back over to the rock pile and sat cross legged on the ground.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Puedes ir si quieres." She replied.

"You're not staying, are you?"

"Yep."

Lirio massaged his temple. "Mii…"

She didn't move.

He looked up at her. "You're gonna stay here until I give in, aren't you?"

She nodded.

He starred at her and the baby for at least another minute, before her threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine. We'll bring her along. Happy?"

Even in the darkness, he could see her face light up. "Ah si?!"

"Yeah." He mumbled. "Now come on; you'll catch a cold if you stay out here all night." He picked up the basket, turned and felt Mii's free arm wrap around his body.

"Gracias! Te amo!"

He chuckled. "Don't mention it." And with that, the two continued on their way.

* * *

**Hi again!**

**For those of you who are wondering where exactly I came up with this idea, I'll tell you.**

**I was on the AnimeSuki forums the other day, and I read something very interesting; someone mentioned that,had things gone differently in the game, Stella might have been raised by the Apostles instead of being awoken by PSS. The idea took root in my head, and thus, this was born!**

**Special thanks to The Omega Mega One for helping me edit this thing.**

**Tell me if you liked this! See ya!**


	2. Accepting

**Hi again!**

**So, how did you like the first chapter? Was it good?**

**In this one, we'll get to see just how much trouble these two will get into for their selfless deed...and weather or not they'll be able to win a debate against Zaha.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

September 25, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

6:26 A.M.

Lirio opened the door to the conference room and stepped in, followed closely by Mii, still holding the basket. She stopped and stooped low for a minute, placing the baby back in the basket and folding the blanket around her. The little one burbled and stretched her tiny arms out, and Mii gave her the tiny…lump of cloth they had found in the basket to serve as a stuffed animal.

"I know, little one." She whispered. "I know you're tired and hungry, but you have to stay quiet for a while, until we can explain to Zaha what's going on."

The baby starred up at her with those enormous blue eyes, then tried to put the stuffed…thing in her mouth and chew on it. She made a face and spit it out, and Mii couldn't help but giggle.

She heard the door on the other side open, and quickly slid the basket under the table as the rest of the Apostles entered and took their seats.

Zaha sat down. "Report."

Mazuma, a young man who's messy red hair draped over his left eye, went first. "Sectors 28 and 29 have been secured. The humans there are being rounded up as we speak."

"Very good." Zaha replied. "Shizu? Kali?"

A young woman with wavy blonde hair in a ponytail and glasses positioned neatly on her face stood. She gestured to the large, brutish man next to her who, despite his bulky appearance, bore a strange resemblance to her. "We investigated the old factory in Moscow and found only one survivor, but they were unresponsive and thus we could not carry out a neblade."

Zaha nodded. "Alright then." He turned to Mii and Lirio. "And you?"

Lirio spoke. "We investigated the explosion site. By the looks of it, no one in the jeep survived. We also found blood trails around the site, so anyone trying to escape must have been picked off by the armaments."

"Were there any other vehicles?"

"No sir, they were traveling alone. There were no useful weapons remaining-"

Then the baby squeaked.

Mii closed her eyes and sighed, fear building up in her. Zaha was obviously watching them, and she heard him order Lirio to show him.

Lirio began to reach under the table and she caught his hand. A simple, yet pleading gesture.

"We have to." He whispered. Then he leaned closer. "I won't let him hurt her, I promise."

Slowly, Mii released his arm, and watched as he gently removed the baby from the basket. She giggled a bit at being held, and then began to whimper again as Lirio placed her on the table, yet for some reason kept one hand under her head and one on top of the blanket.

Zaha's eyes widened and he stood up. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"That, Zaha, is a blanket." Mazuma joked. "But I assume you're referring to what's inside the blanket."

Zaha began to approach them. "WHY IN THE GENERAL'S NAME WOULD YOU BRING THAT…THAT THING ABOARD OUR SHIP?!"

Fearing the worst, Mii grabbed the baby off the table and held her to her chest. "Y-You're not going to kill her, are you?"

Zaha laughed sarcastically. "_Her_? You'll be lucky if I don't _KILL YOU_!"

Lirio stood up. "Not unless you want to lose your arms!"

"YOU WATCH YOUR TONGUE! YOU'RE AS DEEP IN THIS SHITHOLE AS YOUR FIANCÉE IS!" With that last scream, the baby awoke and began to cry. Mii jumped out of her chair and retreated to the back of the room, where she proceeded to try to soothe the crying child.

"Zaha, please, just leave them alone." Shizu stepped in. She stood up and approached Mii slowly, extending a comforting hand towards them.

"I think she's hungry." Mii said. "She hasn't eaten since we found her."

"Well, what do babies eat?" Mazuma asked.

"Usually soft food, depending on how old they are." Shizu turned back to Mii. "Do you know how old she is?"

Mii shook her head. "There was a note in the basket, but we haven't read all of it yet." She lifted the still crying infant onto her shoulder.

Shizu lifted the basket out from under the table and rummaged through it, pulling out the note. She read a bit, turned it over, and nodded.

"Says here she was born on September 22, 2039."

"That was only three days ago." Lirio said.

Shizu nodded. "And this last part may come as an interest to all of you." She began to read out loud "'This child is a third generation GRAY clone, the 'perfect clone' of the alien leader Sing Love. Whoever finds her must treat her carefully and delicately, as a child should be handled.'"

That was when the room started spinning.

Mii closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. The baby was still crying, though it wasn't as loud.

"Mii?" Lirio rushed over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Three days…" Mii opened her eyes. "She'll be needing milk, then."

"We don't have any baby formula, do we?" Mazuma asked.

"No!" Zaha said. "Nobody feed it! We are not keeping that thing!"

"Where are we gonna put her, then?!" Lirio countered. "She'll die if we just leave her on the street!"

"Then we'll kill it here." Zaha said.

Mii gasped. "No! Mi amor, no dejes que haga esto!" She clutched Lirio's jacket. "Don't let him kill her!"

Lirio responded by standing in front of her, acting as a shield from Zaha. "Don't think for a second I'll let you get away with that."

"Be sensible." Zaha said. "Both of you. This is against protocol. That thing would be better off dead than with us!"

"CALLATE LA BOCA!" Mii screamed. "SHE IS NOT A THING! THIS IS A LIVING CHILD, DAMMIT! TREAT HER LIKE ONE!"

The whole room stopped silent, save for the baby, who began to cry even louder. Zaha sighed in irritation. "Will someone _please_ take that…_child_ out of here?!"

Mii began to reach for the door, but Shizu stopped her. "I'll take her. You should stay."

"But I-"

Shizu stopped her. "You should be here to decide what happens. She needs you to protect her."

Mii hesitated, then passed the baby into Shizu's arms, who smiled and took her outside.

She turned back to Zaha. "And what would you have us do with her?"

"I would rather she be executed."

"Not an option." Lirio said.

Zaha sighed. "Why is this so difficult for you two?! She isn't even you're child."

"You're one to talk, Zaha." Lirio countered. "You brought Nafhe along for the invasion, didn't you?"

Zaha narrowed his eyes. "How I parent my daughter is none of your concern, _Lirio_." He sighed. "Alright, let's just say we do keep this child. She'll still need someone to raise her; nurture her into adulthood. No one here is willing to do that."

Mii stepped forward. "Lo haria."

Zaha starred at her. "What?"

Mii looked him straight in the eye and smiled. "It means 'I would.' If you'll allow it, _Commander_." Her voice dripped with honeyed sarcasm.

"You? Parent this child?" Zaha questioned her.

"You doubt me, then?"

"No…" He said suspiciously. "This wouldn't have anything to do with what happened six years ago-"

"It doesn't." She assured him, rather bluntly.

Zaha touched his finger to his chin and sighed. "…Alright." He relented. "The child can stay."

Mii's face lit up. "Well, Lirio?"

"Hm?" He looked confused. "Well what?"

She smirked at him. "Are you ready for the responsibility of being a father?"

He looked confused. "What? You think I…"

She sauntered up to him and wrapped her arms round him, making her best pouty face. "Please, Mi amor? The little one will grow up so much better with two parents instead of just one~"

"You are her fiancé, Lirio." Mazuma piped up.

Lirio scowled and gave him the middle finger, which Mazuma only laughed at.

He looked down at Mii and sighed. "Alright…Mii. If you're willing to be the child's mother…" He put his arm around her "Then I'm willing to be her father."

Mii laughed in delight and kissed him.

Mazuma dug the edge of this sword into the table. "Well, I guess all that's left to do is to just watch and see how this all plays out."

…

Mii entered the living room quietly, careful not to make any noise. Shizu sat in a large easy chair by the fireplace, which had a roaring fire in it, and in her arms Mii could see the little baby, now quieted.

She approached slowly. "Como esta?"

Shizu turned to look at her. "Quiet, for now. Turns out the poor thing really was hungry." She held the baby out slightly. "We have a definite shortage of pacifiers in this ship."

Mii bent down slightly and giggled as she saw what the baby was sucking on. "Apple slices?"

"It's a cheap fix, but it works." Shizu replied with a shrug. "She'll need some real food soon, though…" She looked at Mii. "Are you still lactating, by any chance?"

Mii started slightly and looked away. "It's been a long time, Shizu. I don't know if I'm still any good."

"There's only one way to find out." Shizu replied, standing up. She handed the baby to Mii, who sat down in the easy chair.

"Go on, give it a try." Shizu encouraged her.

Mii gave her a dirty look, but smiled soon after. Carefully, she undid the button on her top and pulled the fabric away, revealing her left breast. The baby seemed unsure of what to do at first, but she quickly latched on and began suckling.

Shizu smiled. "Well look at that." She patted Mii's shoulder. "She finds it tasty."

Mii smiled, but she kept her eyes on the baby, who was kneading her breast with her tiny hand…almost like a kitten.

"I forgot how good this felt." She whispered, closing her eyes.

"I can tell you missed it." Shizu said before turning her attention to the doorway. "Well, here comes the baby-daddy himself."

"Hi Shizu." Lirio replied.

"Mi amor, come look at this!" Mii called out in a whisper. Lirio approached them and knelt down beside the chair.

"Well, would you look at that." He whispered. He ran his finger over the baby's head, careful not to disturb her.

"You know…" Shizu added, sitting down on the sofa "Skin to skin contact between mother and child can help strengthen the bond between them." She smiled. "That's why breastfeeding is so effective. Humans like to call it 'Kangaroo care.'"

Mii smiled down at the child again. "I'm just happy she's getting something out of it." She looked up at them. "I was worried I was all dried up."

"You said it yourself," Lirio replied, kissing her cheek. "Maternal instinct never goes away."

"I'm glad I was right." She replied. "Hey, Lirio, did that note say if she head a name?" At this point the baby stopped suckling, and the milk was beginning to dribble out of the corners of her mouth. Mii loosened her grip slightly and re-buttoned her top, and Lirio went and fetched some Kleenex for her to clean the baby's mouth off with.

"I don't think so…" He replied. Then he looked puzzled. "What's that?"

"What's what?"

He adjusted her blanket slightly, then reached in and pulled out a pair of dog tags on a long silver chain. "This…"

He took it off the baby's neck, and Shizu came closer to get a look. "It says…"

"Black Rock Shooter…" He finished. He handed the dog tags to Mii.

She looked at them and scoffed. "They couldn't come up with a better name?" She said. "Wait, what does the other one say?" She turned it over and smiled.

"Well?" Lirio asked. His fiancée smiled and handed the tag to him.

"Stella." She said. "According to that, her name is Stella."

* * *

**And there you go. They get to keep the baby! Yay!**

**Now I know Stella was not born in 2039, in the canon she was born in 2035, but I had to move down the date a few years to make room for *spoilers*.**

**So how do you guys think this is gonna go? A little GRAY clone being raised by two aliens sent to take over our known world? Please tell your opinion in your review...and please review. (I can't read minds, guys, especially through a computer screen.)**

**Thanks again to The Omega Mega One for helping me edit. And helping me come up with a title.**


	3. Preparing

**Good morning!**

**Here's the third chapter, which I stayed up very late working on just for you! Be thankful! **

**Also, thank you for the number of reviews I got. People aren't always this kind to us telepathically impaired. Also thank you to my guest reviewer, BRSFangirl109 for the...enthusiastic review you left, as well as the questions. (I love getting questions!) To answer them; first off, Mii pointed out that the General hasn't been down to visit them since quite a while ago, so she has no idea that Mii and Lirio are raising Stella. And you'll get to see Nafhe's reaction in this chapter, but I guarantee you, she won't be happy. **

**Once again, thank you all for the reviews and for taking an interest in this story, and Thank you to my editor The Omega Mega One for helping me make this thing look presentable.**

**Kay, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

September 25, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

7:01 A.M.

Zaha opened the door to his study, closed and locked it behind him, and sat down with a sigh. He rubbed the back of his neck as to try to ease the beginning of a headache, then pressed the call button on the phone.

"Connect me to the H.Q. medical bay." He said. It rung a few times, and a woman's voice answered.

"Hello?"

"This is Commander Zaha, from the Earth squadron." He said. "I'd like to speak to Nafhe, please."

"Ah! Yes of course! Nafhe!" The nurse called out "You're father wants to talk to you!"

The line was quiet for a minute, before Nafhe's voice answered. "Hi, Zaha."

"How are you feeling, Nafhe? Did I wake you?" He asked her.

"I'm okay. I couldn't sleep anyway." She replied. "It's so boring here! When can I come back?"

"As soon as your injury is healed." Zaha replied with a chuckle. "And you know more about that than I do."

"But the doctor said it won't be for another two months!" She cried. "Damn those humans! I hate having a broken back! It's all their fault!"

"It'll get better soon." Zaha reassured her. "And then you can come back with me."

"Good." She said. "So how are things over there? You sound tired."

Zaha sighed. "The witch and the archer are still driving me up the wall."

"Aw, not again!"

"Well, not quite…"

He heard her groan. "What does that mean?"

"They brought in a souvenir from their last mission. A _baby_."

"_What?!_"

"That was my reaction. They're adamant on keeping it-" But Nafhe wasn't listening.

"That's not fair! I'M the youngest! They can't do this! I'm not even there to speak against it!"

"Nafhe…"

"But they can't! They KNOW I'm the baby of the group! I am not giving up my place in this team to a pee, poop, eat, fleshy creature!"

"Nafhe…"

"That thing is gonna steal all my attention-"

"Nafhe," He said "It's a GRAY clone."

"Oh…" She replied. "Well why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"I tried to, but you wouldn't let me." He replied.

"I was freaking out!" She said.

Zaha chuckled. "What have I told you about keeping a level head?"

"When was the last time you followed your own advice?"

"Touché."

He heard blankets rustle, and assumed Nafhe must have been switching positions in bed. "Why'd they even bother anyways?"

"I'm thinking it has to do with what happened all those years ago." He replied.

"All the way back then? Wouldn't they have gotten over it by now?" Nafhe asked.

"We are more like humans than you think, Nafhe." He said. "You yourself know that."

"I still don't understand why they'd even bother." Nafhe replied. "Those things don't last long anyway. Heck, they'll be lucky if it survives past one year!"

…

"We really seem to be short on baby supplies." Shizu said as she rooted through the cabinet. "I can't even find a bag of diapers!"

"Estoy más preocupado por dónde puede dormir." Mii said, switching Stella to her other shoulder. "She doesn't even have a crib."

"What about the cushion by the bay window?" Lirio asked, placing two bottles of soap on the counter. "We could put up a guard rail on the edge so she can't roll out."

"That could work…" Mii replied. "At least until we find her a proper bed. Do we have any baby soap?"

"I couldn't find any." Lirio replied, crouching down and checking the cabinet one more time.

Mii opened the shower curtain and began reading the labels on the shampoo. "I don't want to use my shampoo on her, it might be too harsh."

"I think I have some non-scented stuff in my bathroom…" Shizu said. She ran out of the bathroom and down the hall.

Mii adjusted Stella's position in her arms again, this time sitting her sideways with her head on her shoulder. Lirio stood up and, noticing her arms getting tired, motioned for her to pass the baby to him. She smiled, kissed the baby's head, and handed her off to her fiancé.

Shizu came back in with a blue bottle. "Here; this should be safe."

Mii took it from her and read the label. "Se ve bien." She looked up at her friend. "Gracias, Shizu."

Shizu nodded. "Well, I'm going to get as much sleep as I can between now and our next mission." She stretched. "I'll have Kali raid some baby stores on our way back."

"Usted no tiene que-" Mii began, but Shizu shook her head.

"It's alright, I want to." She said. "Besides, you two will have your hands full tonight."

"She actually hasn't been that much trouble so far…" Lirio said, looking the sleeping baby in his arms.

"I'm not talking about that…" Shizu said. "Zaha is still pretty against the idea. I'd keep a close eye on him, to make sure nothing happens to Stella."

Mii nodded. "Thank you again."

"Don't mention it." Shizu replied. She gave her friend a hug, and left the room.

Mii starched her arms out again. "Here, I'll take her. I want to give her a bath before bed."

Lirio passed Stella back to her, but not before planting a soft kiss on the baby's head.

"I'll go use Mazuma's shower." He said. She gave him a quick kiss, and shut the door behind him.

Mii balanced Stella against her shoulder while she plugged the drain to the sink and turned on the hot water. She stuck her hand under to test the water and, realizing it was too hot, turned on the cold tap as well, until the water was comfortably warm.

She unwrapped the blanket from around Stella's head and body, and quickly noticed something odd.

"Eso es exraño…" She whispered. "Why is your hair in pigtails?" It was true; the soft, black, wispy hair on her head had been pulled into two tiny pigtails.

Mii gently pulled the rubber bands off, undoing the pigtails and letting her baby's short hair fall gently around her head. Stella seemed confused for a minute, before she just blinked and went back to chewing on her fingers.

Mii smiled and undressed her completely, disposing of the used diaper and removing the pink wristband. She tested the water again and, satisfied with the temperature, she gently placed her in the water.

Stella seemed shocked at first and began to whimper, but Mii kissed her head and handed her the piece of cloth, and she soon became happy again, nearly oblivious to what was going on around her.

Mii put a dab of shampoo in her hand and rubbed her hands together, creating a foamy lather, and began to gently work it through Stella's hair, which was thick for a three day old. She managed to comb it through with her fingers, removing some of the oil and dirt, and took the small cup on the side and rinsed off her head.

Stella only looked up when some of the water ran over her face, though luckily none of it got in her eyes. She looked up at her mother and blinked, as if to say _"What are you doing?"_

Mii laughed and continued scrubbing the dirt off her body. At this point Stella began to take a bit more interest in what she was doing; she had set down the toy and was now playing in the water, hitting it and trying to splash it out of the sink, which made Mii laugh.

By the time she was done, Stella had grown bored with the water and had nodded off to sleep again, and Mii felt a bit guilty about having to wake her to dry her off. She still seemed a bit groggy before she began gently tugging on Mii's shirt.

"Are you hungry again?!" She exclaimed with a laugh. She tickled the baby's stomach. "Para alguien tan pequeño, come mucho." Stella giggled.

"Bien, bien. Let me dry you off first!" She said, taking her into the bedroom and sitting down on the edge of the bed. She wrapped a towel around the baby and gently patted her dry.

By the time she was done, Stella had a firm grip on her shirt and was beginning to whimper, and Mii sighed.

"Okay, here." She undid her shirt and pulled the fabric away, and this time Stella wasted no time latching hold and beginning to suckle.

Mii sighed. "Ay dios mio. What am I going to do with you?" She stroked Stella's hair. "You're not like most GRAY clones we've met. You're…" She fought for the right word. "Unique."

Stella stopped sucking for a minute and looked up at her, her big blue eyes filled with curiosity.

"Perfect." Mii whispered, letting the word roll off her tongue. "That's what you are…you're perfect."

Stella went back to feeding, and Mii closed her eyes. "Mi ángel perfecto, nunca pensé que me iba a encontrar de usted nuevo."

…

Shizu stood at the doorway to the living room, watching Mazuma fiddle with his camcorder. "You're not asleep?"

"Lirio's using my shower." He said, without looking up. "I'm trying to avoid the awkward factor."

"Mm." She replied, sitting down on the couch.

"So what do you think of our 'new recruit?'" He asked.

"You mean Stella?" She asked him.

"Is that what they're calling her?"

"That's what whoever had her before was calling her. It was written on her dog tags."

Mazuma snickered. "Who the hell puts dog tags on a baby?"

"This person did." Shizu replied. "It's strange; It looks like whoever was escaping with her knew they were going to die, but according to Lirio the blood trails indicated there was some sort of struggle."

"And another thing…" Mazuma pitched in "San Francisco isn't exactly very organized anymore. Anyone there would be too worried about themselves to think of a baby." He focused the lenses. "So how were they so sure that she would be found?"

Shizu sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. "This whole event is just baffling. They couldn't have been sure! And they must have known no humans would stop to pick her up."

"Maybe they weren't hoping for humans to find her…"

Shizu looked up. "Huh?"

Mazuma leaned back. "They knew there was a slim to none chance of a _human_ finding her…" He began. "But we do patrols of that area regularly. Maybe…" He pressed the record button on the camera and pointed it as Shizu, smirking "They left her for _us_."

…

Mii heard the door to the bedroom open, and looked up to see Lirio enter the room, dressed for bed. She held a finger to her lips and motioned for him to come closer, and he smiled when he saw what she was referring to.

Lirio sat beside them and put his arm under Mii's, helping to support the baby, who was still feeding. He kissed her cheek and she leaned her head on his shoulder, careful not to disturb Stella.

"Ella es tan hermosa." Mii whispered. "I just can't believe she's ours."

"I'm glad she is." He replied. "Our angel…" He ran his finger over her tiny head. "Our ray of hope."

"Our daughter." Mii said.

"Our daughter." Lirio agreed.

Stella detached herself from Mii briefly to look up at her parents, who smiled down at her, their eyes full of love.

"That's right, little one." Mii said. "You're our daughter."

* * *

**I swear this whole thing is making me "D'AAWWWWWW!" at massive proportions! STELLA-CHAN! YOU'RE KILLING ME WITH YOU'RE CUTENESS! I'M GONNA DIE BEFORE I CAN FINISH THIS STORY!**

**But I won't. Because then my restless soul would haunt the fandom forever as I tried to continue writing.**

**So now we find out a lot about Zaha and Nafhe, but there are still questions about our happy new family that have yet to be answered. For now though, lets let them enjoy their new baby.**

**Thanks again to my reviewers and editor. Keep up the good work you guys! Remember, telepathically impaired over here!**

**BYE!**


	4. Complication

**Konbanwa!**

**It's 10:45 at night. I'm supposed to be in bed, and I'm uploading this because I wanted to get it out there. Thanks again for the number of reviews. Knight25 I believe I dent you a PM answering your question, and BRSFangirl109, since you're a guest, I'll continue to answer your questions on here: **

**I hadn't thought about it, but I may add in White earlier now that you suggested that I write a scene with her. Thank you for supporting the Mii/Lirio pairing, and I look forward to whatever you plan on writing for them. We need all the supporters we can get. As for everything else, you'll just have to wait and see. Though I guarantee you, it will be cute.**

* * *

September 26, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

8:15 A.M.

It seemed as though the entire world was quiet. Outside pale gray clouds created a screen to hide the sky. No wind blew and no birds chirped. It was calm and peaceful, like the universe was asleep.

Inside the Mother Ship, it was just as quiet. There was no busying about, making breakfast and getting ready for missions. The endeavors of the previous day had left everyone so worn out that they had all slept late…very late. Clean through to the next day, even. Mazuma was sprawled across his bed, his mouth wide open in a silent snore, and his blankets bunched up on the ground. A little ways away, the twins slept soundly, neatly and silently in their own beds. Even Zaha, who had stayed up very late sorting documents and paperwork, was fast asleep in his own room.

And in their own room, Lirio and Mii lay sound asleep, snuggled together under the covers, Mii with her head resting against his chest and Lirio with his arm draped over her hip and coming up to rest in the small of her back. They slept with smiles on their faces, dreaming of happy times from the past and happier times soon to come. And the object of their dreams, their little black haired baby girl, also lay sound asleep a few feet away from them, in her makeshift crib by the bay window.

Mii was the first to stir. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes slowly and blinked a few times, letting her fiancé's warmth surround her, before she quietly rose from her position so she was sitting on her hip. Lirio stirred a bit at this, but didn't wake up.

She smiled, leaned down, and kissed his forehead gently before she slowly slipped out of bed and quietly made her way over to Stella's "crib."

She smiled down at the sleeping baby, who was still holding tightly to the small lump of cloth, which Mii had been kind enough to modify slightly; tying a rubber band around the top and drawing a face on it, so it now looked like a happy lollipop dressed like a ghost.

Mii sighed and knelt down, keeping her eyes on child. She was so beautiful, so peaceful…Mii felt as though she could watch her forever.

Suddenly she heard a strange, faint buzzing noise, like that of a bee. She immediately tensed up. The last thing she wanted was for her baby to get stung by a bee. She searched around for the sound of the noise and, upon finding it in the drapes, went to open the thick curtain slightly…

And gasped in horror when she did.

A green, bee-like armament (She remembered it was called a Vesp) was buzzing right outside the window, looking huge and green and menacing. She saw its fazers lock on, and prepare to fire…

With reflexes she didn't know she possessed, Mii grabbed Stella and crouched over her with her back to the window, using her body as a shield as glass exploded everywhere. She felt a few bits of glass sitck in her skin, but it was nothing majorly painful. Besides, at the moment she had to focus on pretecting her child. The Vesp now had easy access to them and was readying another shot…

"MII GET DOWN!" She felt Lirio grab her arm and pull her away, just in time, too. Another shot was fired.

They crouched behind the bed, Lirio with her arms wrapped tightly around them as Stella began to whimper and then cry. Mii felt shivers of fear start to run up her spine, but she forced herself to stay calm and tried to soothe Stella back to sleep despite the chaos.

Lirio craned his neck. His bow was in the weapons room. Unfortunately, the door out of the bedroom was in the line of fire of the Vesp. He figured he could make a dash for it…

Until the Vesp fired another shot, this one closer to the bed, and Lirio ducked back down. He cursed under his breath. No way would he get out of here without getting shot.

Another shot hit the wall, and Mii tensed up, clutching Stella even closer to her chest. "Para que…?" She whispered. "That thing will eventually hit the bed…"

Lirio pulled the two against his chest and held them there, his eyes tightly closed. Another shot, and this time Lirio could feel the heat from it as it singed the carpet. The two held their breath and waited for the last shot to fire.

Suddenly there was a flash of red, and explosion, and then silence.

Lirio looked up slowly to see a very tired Mazuma standing in the doorway, holding his gunblade. The Vesp was nowhere to be found.

Lirio stood up tentatively, helping Mii to her feet, and walked over to the door. "Thanks."

Mazuma nodded. "Be thankful I have a short fuse in the morning." He said.

They turned when they heard footsteps, and saw Shizu and Kali run up, Shizu with her hair half hanging out of her ponytail and her glasses crooked on her face. "What happened?" She looked around and saw the damage. "Are you two alright?"

Mii nodded. "Mostly. Stella wasn't hurt, that's what's important."

Shizu ran a hand through her hair. "What on Earth happened, anyway?"

"One of the Vesps happened." Lirio replied. "It attacked us out of nowhere."

"Must have been a bug in the programming." Shizu said. "Zaha won't be happy to hear that…" She looked up. "Oh gods, your room!"

The couple turned around. Their room was almost completely destroyed, with the widow smashed and several burn marks on the carpet and holes in the wall.

Mii smiled. "No te preocupes." She handed the baby to Lirio. "Can you hold her for a minute?"

Lirio nodded and took Stella in his arms.

Mii held her hand up. A dark red light emanated from it, causing the tips of her fingers to glow. The dark light encircled the room and in a flash, the window was repaired, as were the carpet and walls.

"Sorcery. Forgot about that." Mazuma mumbled. "Well, I'm going back to…" He stopped.

"What's wrong?" Shizu asked him. Then she turned around and screamed.

Five different armaments were squeezing down the hall, rushing at them. Mazuma cursed and readied his gunblade.

Lirio grabbed Mii's arm and pulled her out of the way. "Come on, you have to run!" He looked back over his shoulder. "Come on, all of you!"

Mii didn't see if they'd followed; she was too busy running. Her heart pounded in her ears as the two of them sprinted down the hall. She pushed off the wall to give herself some extra speed and looked back to make sure Lirio was keeping up with her, which he was. She saw him stumble and almost fall, but he righted himself and they continued to run faster. The had to double back a few times when they ran into a dead end, but they eventually made it past.

They came to a corner, rounded it, and found two more armaments waiting for them. Lirio turned to her and shoved Stella back into her arms. "Here, take Stella. I'll hold them off."

"Wha…No!" Mii cried. "I'm not leaving you, dammit! Those things will kill you!"

"I'll be fine!" He insisted. "Please Mii, I can't risk losing you." He looked down at the baby in her arms. "Either of you."

She shook her head. "I can't lose you either, Lirio! You know that!"

He put his hand on the back of her head and kissed her. " Please." He said. "I'd rather it'd be my life."

"But-"

"For Stella." He insisted. "Please…do it for Stella."

Mii hesitated, and then nodded. She jogged back down the hall, and looked back briefly to see Lirio leading the armaments in the opposite direction.

"Ten cuidado, mi amor…" She whispered, before running down the hall again. She could hear Lirio shouting for the machines to follow him, but slowly his voice got fainter and fainter, and finally disappeared altogether. She felt fear well up inside her, but she kept running.

She shoved a door open at the end of the hall and looked around. "The library…"

It was a huge room, filled with a seemingly endless amount of bookshelves that held seemingly an endless amount of books. That place was a maze if you didn't know the way.

Luckily, she _did_ know the way.

Mii quickly rushed down the corridor and ducked behind a bookshelf, pulling her knees up to her chest and clutching Stella. She waited a few minutes and, after not hearing anything, began to relax. Stella had stopped crying, but her lip was quivering and a few tears fell from her eyes. Mii smiled sadly and whipped them away.

"No llores, pequeña." She crooned gently. She adjusted the blanket and saw Stella was still holding her little toy, clutching it as tightly as her little fingers could.

Mii smiled. "You have your little amigo? She asked. "He still needs a name, doesn't he?" She saw Stella pull it up to her chest and rub her face against it.

Mii giggled at her daughter. "You like that name? Amigo?" She stroked Stella's hair. "Then he'll be Amigo."

It stayed silent for quite a while. Stella began to get fussy until Mii let her breastfeed, after which she fell asleep to Mii gently singing "Greensleeves." All was quiet…

Until the door slammed open.

Mii tensed up, her heart pounding. She heard faint clanking and buzzing, and assumed the Vesps had been accompanied by a few Eaters as well.

Mii held her breath as the machines came closer. She slowly stood up and began inching her way down the bookcase.

She froze. The armaments had turned the corner into the row right befor hers. They were slowly makeing their way down, and she could see them through the books. She held her breath as they came closer…

Suddenly her hand slipped, and a large number of books came tumbling out of the shelf onto the ground. In a second the armaments all turned and locked on, pushing through the books and cornering her.

"Stand down!" She ordered, trying to make her voice sound authoritative. It usually worked, but this time, the robots didn't stop.

"I s-said stand down!" She shouted again. Once again, they made no indication that they were going to stop.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAND DOWN!"

In a desperate move, Mii held out her hand, and a blast of red and black energy knocked the armaments back. Seizing the opportunity, she made a dash fro the exit, only for it to be blocked again, this time by one of the larger robots called a "Dead Master." It rose it's scythe and sliced down, and Mii barely jumped out of the way in time. She summoned a ball of energy and shot it at the monster, and for a minute it seemed stunned, but it just shook itself and readied another blow.

Mii sighed in defeat. She couldn't call for help, and there was no way she could fight them all on her own. She was prepared to toss Stella under a couch or something to hide her, but even that wasn't possible now.

She clutched Stella to her chest and readied herself for the final blow...

Until, with a thud, the whole group of them powered down.

Mii stood stock still, wondering what had happened. Gasping for breath after holding it so long, she snapped out of her state and tore back down the hall.

…

Mii arrived in the kitchen, where a few armaments were laying on the ground while Shizu and Kali stood there with kitchen knives. Shizu looked at Mii, blankly at first, until she snapped out of her trance and rushed to her friend.

"Mii-chan, thank the gods you're alright!" She cried, throwing her arms around her neck. Mii hugged her back with her free hand.

"Have you seen Lirio?" She asked.

Shizu looked startled and shook her head. "We thought he was with you."

"He used himself as a distraction…so Stella and I could get away…" Mii choked out, her voice cracking as the horrible thoughts came to play in her mind. "Lirio estúpido. Why do you have to be so brave all the time?" She tried to stop herself but she broke down.

"Hey, hey…" Shizu took hold of her arms. "It'll be alright, you'll see." She smiled. "I'm sure he's fine. He knows this place as well as anyone here, he'll find a hiding place."

"Mii!" They heard someone call. "Mii, are you there?"

"Is that…?" Mii turned around with hopeful eyes.

"Mii!"

"Lirio!" She called out! "Estoy aqui, Lirio!"

Her fiancé stumbled into the room, eyes wide, and relaxed when he saw her. "Mii!"

The two rushed for each other, and Lirio caught his fiancée and daughter in a soft embrace. "Thank the gods. Oh, thank the gods your safe."

Mii pulled away for a minute and slapped him across the cheek. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to warrant a surprised reaction from him. Afterward, she smiled, leaned up and kissed him deeply.

"And what was that for?" He asked when they parted.

"This," She tapped his cheek "Was for making me worry. And this…" She kissed him again "Was for staying alive."

"Why did they all suddenly power down?" Shizu asked.

"It might have been because _I_ pulled the power plug." Mazuma said, entering the room. He held up a memory chip. "Figured, if the whole place is going batshit, might as well join in the vandalism."

"Thanks…" Shizu said. Mazuma just shrugged.

"Why were they attacking us, anyway?" Lirio questioned. "Those things are only programmed to hunt humans and…" He put his head in his hands and groaned.

"Que pasa?" Mii asked him, resting Stella on her shoulder.

"Humans…" He said "And GRAY clones."

"I'm glad you figured it out, Lirio." They all turned to see Zaha standing in the doorway.

Mii stepped forward. "Que sabía acerca de esto?" She asked. "Why didn't you tell us?! We could have been killed!"

"I didn't know for sure it would effect her." He replied. "She is the General's perfect clone, after all."

"But she's not the General." Mii insisted.

"Precisely. Now that we know what her genome coding is, I doubt we'll get a moments peace around here. Our own weapons will turn against us as long as she's here."

"We already told you," Lirio spoke up. "We're not getting rid of her!"

Zaha held his hands up. "I know this is the last thing you want to hear," he said "But think about it, with us, she'll never have a quiet moment to rest and grow like a normal child. And you two will have to be constantly on the lookout. Always on the watch for any armaments that may attack her." He looked them in the eye. "Now is the time to do what's best for the child."

"By what, killing her?!" Mii demanded. "No! Not an option!"

"You don't have to kill her…" Zaha insisted. "Perhaps find a survivor settlement, a monastery-"

Mii's eyes widened. Quickly, she passed Stella to Lirio, stalked up to the old man, and said in a low, threatening voice.

"I made that mistake once, Zaha…" She said. "By following your orders…_she_ was killed." She leaned up to his face. "I won't let you ruin my life twice. I would rather live the rest of my life in fear for my child, then in regret at leaving her to die!" And with that, she stalked off, Lirio following close behind.

…

Mii sat on their bed, holding Stella tightly in her arms and rocking her back and forth. Her eyes starred off into space, and she jumped at the slightest sound. Unfortunately, every time she did, Stella would wake again and begin to get fussy, demanding either milk, her toy, her diaper changed or a lullaby.

The next time she startled, it was over a branch hitting the window with a loud "thwack." She flinched, and Stella squeaked, looking up at her mother with what almost seemed like worry.

Mii shook her head and sighed. Still, she couldn't help but smile when Stella looked up at her with her big blue eyes and began to giggle.

"How is it you're causing all this trouble?" She said jokingly, tickling the baby's tummy. "Born four days ago and already our machines are out to kill you. Didn't think that would happen until you started toddling."

Stella squeaked and put her fingers in her mouth.

"...That is..._if_ you ever start toddling..." She shook her head. "No, you will. Of course you will! Because you're strong, you'll learn how." Mii kissed Stella's forehead. "Your father and I believe you can."

Suddenly the door swung open, causing her to startle again.

Shizu stood there tentatively. "Hey, Mii-chan…"

Mii relaxed. "Hi Shizu."

"Kali came back with some stuff for the baby's room…" She said. "I think you and Lirio should help us decide where to put it all."

"Ah, yes. Gracias." She stood up and followed Shizu into the hall, where Kali and Lirio were waiting.

…

"Kali, come help me move this!" Shizu cried, struggling to push the crib into the room. Her brother came over and helped her pull it through the doorway.

Mii pushed the rocking chair into the corner and a side table next to it, and placed a dim lamp on said table.

"Hey, where do you guys want this?" Mazuma called, pointing to the small foot rest.

"In front of the rocking chair." Mii said. She spread the changing pad over the top of the dresser and began putting the supplies in various drawers.

She stood back and looked around the room. "Bueno, I think that's everything."

"It looks nice." Shizu said. "I think she'll like it."

"If she can even see it." Mazuma said, gesturing to the sleeping baby in Lirio's arms. "Kid spends so much time sleeping."

"Which is pretty unusual for newborn babies." Shizu said. "Usually they take a while to fall asleep."

"As long as she doesn't wake me up at three A.M, I'm cool." Mazuma replied.

"Then you're lucky the room is soundproof." Shizu turned to the couple. "Speaking of which, you better have that baby monitor blaring at night, since you won't be able to hear her through the wall."

Mii nodded. "Thank you again. For everything."

Shizu hugged her friend. "Don't mention it." Then she, Kali and Mazuma all left the room.

Mii sighed and leaned against Lirio's chest. "Que dia verdad?"

"I'll say." He replied. He held her close. "Are you okay?"

Mii hesitated. "I…I don't know." She sighed. "What Zaha said brought back so many memories, of things that I don't want to remember." She buried her face in his chest. "…I miss her."

"I know." He agreed. "I do too. She was…" His voice cracked.

"We can't let that happen to Stella." She said, putting her arms under his to help hold the child. "I don't think I'd survive it if it happened again."

"It won't." He said. "The real problem is the armaments…if they're locked onto her genetic signature, I don't know how she'll be safe around here." He looked down at his daughter sadly. "I wish I knew a way to convince the program that she's okay."

Mii looked away. "Well…" She said "There might be…one way…"

* * *

**CLIFF HANGER!**

**But hey, you know what I like even better than questions? Speculations!**  
**I love it when people theorize about my stories! It makes me feel important! And seeing that this is a cliff hanger and you guys will be anticipating what happens next anyway, why not tell me about it? **

**Edit: I added a bit more detail to the scenes since I felt some of them were too brief. I think it looks a lot better now.**

**Thanks again to all my reviewers and to The Omega Mega One. He's been awesome with not only helping me with translations and editing, but also giving me ideas on where I want this thing to go.**

**See you in a day or two!**


	5. Enchantment

**Hi again!**

**This was supposed to be up last night but meh, better late than never. I don't have a lot of time since my brother has a piano recital today, so I'll make this quick:**

**BRSFangirl109: Don't worry, none of your critiques were offensive. I'm still an aspiring writer so I do welcome some constructive criticism, as long as it's not a flame. To answer your questions, as we saw before, Nafhe will probably side with Zaha for now. Actually we'll be looking deeper into their relationship in this chapter! Thanks again!**

**RYNO IV: Welcome to this wonderful fandom! Believe me, as you go along, it will get less confusing. As for your speculations, you are going in the right direction, but giving away any more would be giving out spoilers, so that's all I'll say. Thanks, and keep reading!**

**The Omega Mega One: Thanks for helping me edit every single one of these chapters, helping me with ideas, and just tolerating me. I'm glad you're still enjoying this, and thanks again! **

**Remember; my two favorite things for my reviewers to do is to ask questions and speculate. Don't be afraid to! They're very fun to read!**

* * *

September 27, 2039

Location: Aokigahara Forest, Mt. Fuji, Japan

11:58 P.M.

The forest was lit up by a flash of purple and green. Mii and Lirio opened their eyes to the forest around them, their expressions tense and worried. Mii carried Stella in her arms, the baby swaddled tightly in her shooting star blanket, while Lirio held a small bag over his shoulder. He looked at Mii and nodded, and she bit her lower lip and began walking.

"_With light from a half moon…"_

Mii suddenly stopped, and Lirio noticed her shaking. Sensing her fear, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him, and the two continued walking.

"_In the pristine water of a flowing river…"_

The half moon shone over them, acting as a silvery torch to light the path. They could hear the river flowing in the distance, and knew they were close.

"_With the blood of two souls…" _

Finally, they stopped and looked out at the scene before them, and Mii nodded. "We're here."

"_Transfer your life into her."_

A waterfall gushed from the top of the cliff, and hit the water to produce a cooling spray. Around the base, flowers and other exotic plants grew to create a lush green pillow at the base. The moonlight reflected off the water, making it shine silver, and small flower petals and leaves floated down the river as the trees shed them in preparation for winter. The river started out deep at the fall's base, but it narrowed out as the trail went on. Fallen trees had grown mushrooms and ferns and created a sort of barrier around the edge. Off to the side, a small pool untouched by the tree's disposed flowers lay directly in a beam of moonlight, almost like a spotlight.

The two approached the pool and waded inside, not bothering to take their shoes off. They had more important things to worry about.

Mii knelt down and unwrapped the blanket from around Stella and gently laid her in the shallow water, which barely came up to her head. She squeaked at the cold, but didn't start crying.

Mii looked up at Lirio. "You have it?"

He nodded. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out two vials of blood, one with his name on it and one with Mii's. He handed her her vial and took out a fresh syringe.

Mii was shaking. "No sé si puedo hacer esto …" She whispered. "What if something goes wrong? What if it kills her?"

Lirio took her hand. "We have to try." He replied. "It's the only way we can protect her."

Mii looked away and nodded. Slowly, she unscrewed the cap on her vial of blood, dipped the syringe inside, and drew out the precious red liquid. Then she handed it to Lirio, who did the same with his, shaking it up a bit to mix it. He handed the syringe to Mii, who tried to appear calm as she smiled down at Stella.

"_With light from a half moon…" _She began to sing _"In the pristine water of a flowing river, with the blood of two souls…" _She took Stella's tiny arm and held it gently. _"Transfer our life into her." _In one fluid motion, she injected her with the blood.

There was a clanking sound in the distance, and Lirio looked up to see a good number of armaments approaching them. He was about to stand to try to fight, but he heard Stella shriek and looked down.

She was beginning to cry now, tears welling up in her tiny eyes. She looked at them, and they could clearly see the hurt in her eyes before she squeezed them shut and cried in pain.

Mii made a sound like a wounded animal and went to grab Stella out of the water, but Lirio stopped her.

"Déjame ir!" She cried. "She'll die!"

"She'll die if we stop now." He insisted. "We have to finish the spell." Mii looked hesitant, keeping her eyes on the child crying in pain, and he took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "We have to." He said. "It's the only way we can save her now."

Mii nodded. The two put their hands over the child, one on her forehead and one on her stomach, and continued.

"_And with this life given still…" _They said together_ "Give her the guise of a nighttime sky…"_ Lirio noticed Mii's voice wavering a bit as she held beck her tears, but she continued.

"_Our energy hers, our lives hers…"_

Stella's cries were agonizing now.

"_Give her our blood, our souls, divine."_

Then something happened.

Stella opened her eyes, and the left one began to glow. Before Mii could even scream, a blue flame erupted from it, but strangely enough, didn't seem to burn her. She looked up at them in confusion at their surprised faces…

And giggled.

Within a few minutes, the flame dimmed and died, and Stella yawned. Mii felt tears slip from her eyes and down her cheeks, dripping into the water. Gently, she lifted her baby out of the water and cuddled her against her chest, and Lirio leaned forward and planted a kiss on her tiny forehead. He turned and looked back at the armaments, who had stopped dead in their tracks, and he knew they were searching for the GRAY clone they had thought was here.

The machines stood still for several minutes, and Mii and Lirio both held their breath, before the robots simply turned around and disappeared back into the forest.

The couple breathed a sigh of relief, and Mii cuddled up against Lirio, who held her and Stella very close.

…

"I still don't get what you did." Mazuma said. The group now sat in the living room of the Mother Ship, Mii and Lirio on the couch with Stella on Mii's lap, sleeping.

"We bonded our DNA with hers." Mii said. "See, we knew that trying to alter the programming would involve changing the settings for all GRAY clones, meaning that the armaments would no longer recognize them. And Zaha would have blown a fuse at that."

"Mii found a spell that can create a sort of…um…" Lirio struggled to find the right word. "Genetic cloak, something that would hide her true genetic code."

"And naturally, since she's our daughter, we decided to use our DNA." Mii said with a smile.

"So the computers think…" Shizu said "That she's really your biological daughter?"

Mii nodded. "Chido, no?"

"I just wish you could have done it with my supervision." Shizu replied. "In case something went wrong."

Mii shrugged. "The spell called for a natural environment. And I don't think a lab would count."

"Still, you could have at least asked before you borrowed my tools." She added. "Which are now broken, by the way. Thanks for that."

"Sorry." Lirio muttered sheepishly.

"You're paying for it." She muttered.

All the while, Zaha stood, watching, his brow furrowed in irritation.

…

Mii opened the door to the nursery slowly, careful not to make a sound. The light was dim and the room quiet, and in her crib Stella slept peacefully.

Mii stood over the crib and watched as she slept, lying on her side still clutching Amigo. She made little squeaking sounds as she slept, which Mii just couldn't help but find so cute.

Without warning, Stella began to stir. She opened her eyes and yawned, and turned on to her back. When she saw her mother, she smiled and starched out her arms, indicating she wanted to be picked up.

Mii giggled and lifted her out of the crib, took her to the rocking chair, sat down, and began rocking her back and forth. Stella tugged at her shirt for a while until Mii relented and let her feed. She smiled as her baby kneaded her breast like a tiny kitten, even squeaking like one on occasion. She remained with her eyes closed, and sucked very slowly, like she was still groggy from sleep. Finally, after several minutes, she stopped sucking altogether and began to let the milk dribble out of her mouth, which Mii wiped away with some tissues.

"You really are something." She said. "How long have you been here, two days? And already you've completely changed our lives." She kissed her small forehead. "I'm so glad you did, though. So glad I found you."

A noise sounded outside the window, startling the two. Mii, fearing it might be an armament, tensed up and Stella, sensing her mother's tension, began to whimper.

"Oh…" Mii crooned softly to her daughter. "No se preocupe, little one. It was just the wind."

When it didn't look like she was going to go back to sleep on her own, Mii began to rock her back and forth gently and sing softly;

"_Alas, my love, you do me wrong,  
To cast me off discourteously."_

Stella looked up in interest.

"_And I have loved you oh so long,  
Delighting in your company."_

Mii looked down at her and smiled, singing in a soft, angelic voice.

"_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold."  
_

She reached down and felt Stella's tiny fingers wrap around hers.

"_Greensleeves was my heart of joy,  
And who but my Lady Greensleeves."_

Stella yawned and continued to clutch her mother's finger in hers. Mii smiled and pressed her face close to her baby's, almost whispering now;

"_Greensleeves was my delight,  
Greensleeves was my heart of gold.  
Greensleeves was my heart of joy,  
And who but my Lady Greensleeves."_

She kissed her baby's forehead. _"And who but my Lady Greensleeves."_

…

Zaha quietly entered his room and sat down at his desk, putting his head in his hands. Sighing he starred down at the wood and squeezed his eyes shut as the memories came back to him.

That one mission…

They had been outnumbered, but he hadn't let them turn around.

The human's tanks…

Nafhe had been suspended in the air, standing on her bunny droid, and the tank had shot it down.

He had watched his daughter…

Falling…

Falling…

Screaming…

He smacked the wood, hard. So hard his hands stung. Desperate, he jumped up and pulled a thick leather book from above his bed and turned to the first page.

The very first photo was of him, much younger at the time, holding a pink haired baby in a pink blanket. The smile on his face was tired, but happy, and the baby…Nafhe, was laughing.

He had never really been in a relationship with Nafhe's mother. The moment she was born, the woman had plain near disappeared, vacating her hospital room as soon as she could walk. She had never even held the child she had given birth to.

But Zaha had been determined to raise her well, with or without a significant other. Sometimes that meant bringing his daughter to work with him at H.Q. The other Commanders found her cute at first, until it became annoying to the point that they could barely stand her.

Needless to say, Nafhe had grown up in military facilities, so when Zaha was making up the team to take to Earth, he thought it would be fine if Nafhe came along.

And it led to her almost death.

He had nearly been the cause of his daughter's death.

Slowly, he flipped through the photos. The book was filled of pictures of Nafhe as a baby, Nafhe as a toddler, Nafhe starting her first day of school. Finally he turned the page and found a handmade father's day card that she had obviously spent hours on, judging by the detailed drawing of him and her holding hands.

He slipped the card out of its slot and opened it. On the inside it read:

"Happy father's day, Daddy! I saved up all my allowances to by you that nice watch you said you wanted, but then it turned out someone already bought it, and they wouldn't give it back even when I started crying!

So I drew you a picture of a watch instead. See? It has paper arm thingies so you can make it the right time!

-Love, Nafhe."

Zaha turned the card over and saw the drawing of the watch mentioned. He fiddled with the paper arms a bit, spinning them a few times, before he clutched the card to his chest and wept.

…

September 27, 2039

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

Alana was scared.

This was supposed to be her fresh start; she could be reunited with her true mother after all this time. She could live her life as a princess, like she promised.

So why was she bleeding to death on the floor?

The blue haired girl looked up, her eyes shining with tears. "Why are you doing this?!" She cried. "Y-You told me I was the only one you loved! The only reason you went on living! Why Mother?!"

The woman above her smiled, and Alana remembered it was the very smile that had won her over, the very smile she had used when she had told her _"I love you so much, my darling."_

The woman stomped on Alana's hand and she gasped in pain. "I do love you, sweetie." She crooned in a sickeningly sweet voice. "I love your power. I want it…"

Alana was sobbing on the ground. She could barely feel the pain in her stomach over the pain in her heart.

"I didn't tell you, darling, but you have many, many sisters." She said. "True, many are dead, but the ones who are alive remain like you; hungry, cold lost, and teetering on the edge of sanity. But their powers are very strong, so they all deserve a chance in my eyes."

"But you told me…" Alana cried in despair "That you _love_ me!"

The woman smirked. "I told you darling. I do love you. For a GRAY, you're very strong…" She lifted her daughter up by the neck. "That's why I'm going to devour you with great pleasure~"

* * *

**Hi again!**

**This was a fun chapter to write. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**So not only do we get a cute moment with our happy little family, we also get some back story on Nafhe and Zaha, and a special appearance from I-think-you-know-who.**

**I have to get ready for my bro's performance now. So I'll see you all in a bit!**

**Bye!**


	6. Delegation

**Hi again!**

**I was supposed to get something out yesterday, but I've been a bit under the weather lately, so I haven't been writing as much. Never the less, I pulled myself together and brought you this little beauty.**

**First of all, reviewers:**

**The Omega Mega 1: Thanks for helping me come up with this thing when I was stuck. I had no idea where I wanted to go, so thanks or providing the ideas for me. Also thanks for editing this at 11:00 at night for me, even though you probably have better things to do, like sleep. You're awesome, and thanks for being my editor.**

**BRSFangirl109: Wow...I have a biggest fan...I've never had a biggest fan before. It's new~  
Anyway, thank you for your ever chipper reviews. I always look forward to reading them when I post a new chapter. I'm very glad you liked the memory book scene, and don't worry, Nafhe is alive and will be joining us for your questions, sorry, you-know-who won't be showing up again in this chappy (OMG YOU DO THAT TOO!) but she will be showing up more and more often, so keep your eyes peeled. Yes Nafhe is alive and she will be showing up soon. Shizu and Mazuma? ...Yeah, in this one they are just friends...for now. As for will Mii and Lirio tell Stella about her true parentage? Lets put it this way; not for now, since she's too young to understand. However, I will give you a hint; this story does have a conflict...Keep reading and reviewing!  
**

**IkNoYo: Hello and welcome! You're speculations were pretty close, and you are headed in the right direction, but as I said before, Mii mentioned that the General hasn't checked in on them in...a long time. It's pretty unlikely that she knows where she is, but that doesn't mean she won't still be hunting~ Just look at what happened to poor Alana.**

**Anyway, keep asking and speculating, and I'll see you at the end of this one!**

* * *

October 5, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

9:00 A.M.

"I've noticed you two haven't been taking part in any missions lately." Zaha said with his eyebrows raised.

Mii and Lirio sat before him in the conference room, listening to his interrogation. Stella was resting peacefully in Mii's lap, seemingly oblivious to her parents' tension.

"Well Zaha, it isn't easy raising a child." Mii replied. "It takes a lot of time and energy and at the end of the day-"

"Spare me the speech, Mii. I've raised a child, too. And unlike you, I was _single_. I know what it's like." Zaha cut in. "That does not, however, mean you can neglect your duties as Apostles."

"So you're sending us out on a mission?" Lirio asked.

"Correction; I'm sending ONE of you out on a mission." He interlaced his fingers. "While I don't like you two slacking off on your jobs, I will admit it is very tough to raise a child, especially an infant child. One of you should at least stay behind to watch over the baby."

"Which one?" Mii asked.

Zaha thought for a minute. "…Mii, you'll go out. Lirio, I'll allow you to stay behind."

Lirio clenched his jaw.

"Will this be a problem, Lirio?" Zaha asked him.

He sighed. "…If I may, sir, neither of us has worked a mission single in quite a while."

"Do you doubt your fiancée's capabilities?" Zaha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Lirio, do you doubt your _fiancée's_ capabilities?" Mii chided with a smirk.

"Of course not!" He stammered. "I just don't think it's good to…what I mean is…"

"You think I'll get hurt if I go out alone?" Mii asked in a mock hurt voice. "Really, Lirio, I thought you had _some_ faith in me~"

"I-I do!" He cried. "I-I just…I don't…"

Mii turned around, smirked, and silenced him with a deep kiss. "Stop talking before you get hurt."

"_If you two are done,_" Zaha said firmly "I'd like to get this over with, please!"

"Sí, señor." Mii replied, without looking at him.

"Alright then. Mii, your mission will be stationed on the west side of San Francisco. Scout for any and all humans, and if found engage in combat. Clear?"

"Very." She replied.

"Good. You two are dismissed."

…

Lirio stood in the doorway, watching Mii pull on her gloves and slip some knives and daggers into various hidden pockets in her outfit. He watched as she slid a knife into her cloth leg accessories and he sighed.

She looked up at him. "Qué pasa?"

"It's nothing, just…" He shook his head. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

She starred at him. "Ya sabes, you used to be a good liar until I learned all your little mannerisms." She noted. She buckled her leg cloths and stood up. "Really, Mi amor, what's wrong?"

He looked away.

She approached him. "Does this have to do with me working this mission by myself?"

"…A little bit, yeah." He relented.

Mii smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're so worried I'm going to get hurt, aren't you?"

Lirio didn't answer; instead he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

Mii smiled, kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear "You don't have to worry, Mi amor. Nothing can keep me from your side." She pulled away and ran her fingers through his hair, leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

"Where'd all that come from?" He asked with a smile.

She shrugged. "You looked like you could use some comforting." She looked up. "Were you, by any chance, thinking about…?"

Lirio nodded slowly. "It's been almost three years now since _she_ died. I can't help but feel so responsible." He pulled Mii back into his arms and held her there. "And now, every time I see you and Stella, I'm so afraid that it's going to happen again, that I'll let her down somehow and…and then she'll be gone. Or…that something will happen to you and she'll be left without a mother."

Mii hugged him tightly. "Lo sé, lo siento de la misma manera." She whispered. "Every day, I'm constantly going over what I could have done differently in order to keep her safe. But…" She sighed. "It's too late now. She's gone." She touched his face. "The only thing we can do is try twice as hard with Stella. I still think we found her for a reason." She kissed him again. "You won't lose her, and you sure as hell won't loose me." She smirked. "I'm not going anywhere."

Lirio smiled. "Be careful out there."

"Don't worry, I will." She sang. "Promise you won't worry while I'm gone?"

"Fine…I'll be more worried about the poor shmuck lucky enough to run into you. How's that?"

"Muy bien." She said. "When you worry, I worry." She gave him one last kiss, and walked out of the room.

He sighed, and then stopped and craned an ear, hearing whispering outside the door. He followed it into Stella's room, where he saw Mii leaning over the crib, singing softly to Stella as the baby held onto her hand. Softly, she kissed the baby one last time and stood up strait again. She looked to the door, but saw no one there, not even as she left.

She had no idea that Lirio had been watching her, smiling.

…

Lirio sat in the rocking chain in Stella's room, reading a book. If you could count it as reading; he wasn't even looking at the book. His bright green eyes were focused on Stella's crib, watching as his daughter slept.

She was a very strange baby indeed. He had been told that in the first few weeks of life, babies have a very hard time going to sleep, since they're so used to being in the womb that the outside world is just so…overwhelming. But not Stella. Stella seemed to spend most of her time sleeping. In fact, when she wasn't eating or looking around at stuff, she was sleeping. Lirio often wondered how she was still so tired if she spent practically 21 hours a day asleep.

As if on cue, Stella twitched, squeaked, and woke up. He immediately stood and approached her crib, looking down at the groggy infant. Her big blue eyes looked foggy and she blinked several times, then she turned over from her side to her back, her eyes closed, and held her arms out.

Lirio furrowed his brow. He had also been told that a baby's eyesight was especially blurry. So how did she know someone was there?

He didn't have time to ponder the question, for Stella began to whimper and, not wanting her to cry, he gently reached down and lifted her from the crib, holding her on his shoulder. She settled down after that, falling back asleep (of course) with her tiny hands clutching his shirt.

He sighed and took her back over to the rocking chair, sitting down ad rocking back and forth. She made tiny squeaking noises as she slept, and Lirio couldn't help but laugh. He patted her back softly and lay his head back against the chair, sighing.

Everything was quiet…

Until the door was flung open with a BANG!

"Hey Lirio!" Mazuma shouted.

Lirio flinched. "Mazuma, shut up! Stella's trying to sleep, dammit!"

"Aw come on, that kid's been sleeping all day!" He crossed his arms. "It's boring. Make her do something!"

"Like what?" Lirio asked. "Sing? Walk on a tightrope? In case you haven't noticed, Mazuma, _babies don't do much_."

"I've seen them play with stuff." He countered.

"She's two weeks old. She can barely hold her own head up." As if on cue, Stella's head rolled slightly and rested in the crook of his neck.

He looked at Mazuma. "You see?"

"Fine, fine." He threw his hands up. "I know what the problem is; she's learning too much from you!"

Lirio raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? how?"

"You're quiet, she's quiet." Mazuma said. "You like to be alone, she likes to be alone."

"There's a difference between liking to be alone and liking to sleep."

"You never show emotion, and the only time I've heard her cry was at the conference when you two first got her!" Mazuma continued. "Does that sound like someone we know?"

"I do too show emotion!" Lirio insisted. "Just not around you!"

"Uh huh~" Mazuma teased.

Lirio sighed. "Whatever. Just…make yourself useful and hand me that rag." Lirio pointed to the white cloth on the dresser.

Mazuma picked it up and brought it over. "What's it for?"

"I have to burp her." He replied, putting the rag over his shoulder and holding Stella's head to it was in front of it. He gently began patting her back while Mazuma watched.

"Why are you doing that?" He asked.

"To get the air out of her stomach." Lirio replied.

"Can I try?" Mazuma asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't know what you're doing and you'll end up messing up."

"Aw come on!"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"PLEASE!"

"Ok, fine!" Lirio gently shifted Stella from her place on his shoulder and handed her to Mazuma. "Here, hold her like this…"

"Ok…" Mazuma gently lifted Stella and held her against his left shoulder. "Hey…hey look, I'm doing it! I'm doing-OW!"

Without warning, Stella grabbed a fist full of Mazuma's long bangs and yanked.

Lirio tried to hold back a laugh. "See? You don't know what you're doing."

"What are you talking about; I can do thi-OW!" He smiled. "See, see? She likes me-OW! I can do this-OW! Look Lirio, she likes me-OW!"

Lirio sighed. "Well, this is gonna be a long day."

…

October 4, 2039

Location: San Francisco, CA.

7:00 P.M.

Frank Marion knew he was being watched.

He could almost feel the alien's presence somewhere around him. He readied his gun and stepped forward slowly, careful not to make any more noise than needed. If he was lucky the night would give him the protection he needed.

"Buenos tardes!" A feminine voice called out. Marion whirled around to find the offender, but all he saw were the rocks in the dim light.

"Konichiwa!" Suddenly there was a thud from behind him, and he whirled around to find the offending alien less than a foot away from him. It was one of the female ones; the one with the witch's hat who he remembered was named "Mii."

"It's very late." She said in a siren's voice. "Shouldn't you be at home, Señor, with your family?"

"Family?" He scoffed and pointed the rifle at her. "Thanks to you, my family's dead." Before she could retort, he pulled the trigger…

And fired into empty air.

Suddenly her hand came down on his shoulder. "Por qué hiciste eso?" She asked him. "Eso fue bastante grosero."

"What the hell language is that; Spanish?" He asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. "Why bother learning it if you're going to kill us anyway?"

Mii laughed. "Why bother?" She smiled. "We may be your conquistadors, but we admire certain aspects of your culture." She leaned forward and whispered in his ear "For even when the earth is a barren rock, you'll want your history to live on, will you not?"

"You…" He pulled away. "YOU BITCH!" He cocked the rifle and began shooting.

She jumped onto rock after rock, each time dodging his blows with ease. "Pequeño hombre tonto, you can't touch _me_~" She teleported away and came up behind him. Before he could move, Mii drew one of her knives and threw it, and Marion cried in agony as he felt the metal stick in his leg.

"Y-You sick bitch!" He groaned on the ground. He stood up, trying not to put weight on his leg, and she teleported back in front of him, laughing.

"Now, now, that's not how you talk to a lady~" She said in a sickly sweet voice.

Marion scoffed. "Lady? You're joking." He spit on the ground. "Leech; yes. Lady; not even close."

Mii pouted. "You are rude. You weren't taught any manners by you're parents, were you?" He couldn't hear the rest of what she said, but it sounded like "I'll have to make sure I don't make the same mistake."

Marion brought out his handguns. "What are you talking about?"

Mii smirked. "Now that, Señor, is none of your concern." She said, and in a flash of purple, drew her axe. "Just something I have to take care of."

"Hope it's not important." Marion replied, loading his cartridges. "Cause by the time I'm done with you, you'll be lucky if you can still _twitch_!"

"No te pongas demasiado confiado." Mii chided. "It was many a human leader's greatest downfall~"

Ad with that, they lunged for each other.

…

October 5, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

10:30 A.M.

"Will you please leave me alone?!" Lirio shouted at Mazuma. "I can't get anything done with you constantly looking over my shoulder!"

"But I want to watch!" Mazuma whined.

"Why?"

"It's educational, in case I have kids one day!"

Lirio chuckled. "Kids? You? What girl would be dumb enough to marry you?"

"Hey!" Mazuma crossed his arms. "There are plenty of girls who would consider themselves lucky to be with yours truly!" He replied with a confident smile.

"Whatever." Lirio lifted Stella onto his shoulder. "Now get out, I have to change her diaper."

"Can I help?!" Mazuma asked.

"For the twentieth time…" Lirio replied "NO!"

"Why not?" Mazuma whined again. "I want to!"

Lirio looked at him like he was crazy as he placed Stella on the changing pad. "You seriously want to help me change her diaper?"

Mazuma nodded.

"Have you ever changed a baby's diaper before?"

Mazuma shook his head.

Lirio sighed. "I don't know; you'll just get in my way…"

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaassseee!" Mazuma begged him.

Lirio sighed. "Fine. You can _WATCH_." He said. "And you can hand me stuff."

Mazuma nodded. "Got it! You won't be disappointed!" He pumped his fist in the air.

"Yeah, yeah." Lirio muttered. He removed the soiled diaper and threw it away. "Hand me the baby wipes."

"Uh…" Mazuma looked around. "Which ones are those?"

Lirio sighed. "In the blue package."

"Oh." Mazuma grabbed it and handed it over. "Here you go!"

"Thanks." Lirio mumbled. Mazuma watched him closely as he cleaned her off and folded the new diaper around her. "There."

"That's so cool-oh…" Mazuma pointed to Stella. "Um…I think she just messed it up again."

Lirio looked down, then back up at Mazuma. "Yeah…"

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" He asked. "She's a baby, that's what she's supposed to do."

"Can I change this one?"

Lirio sighed. "If I let you change her this one time, do you promise to leave me alone for the rest of the day?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die!" Mazuma said.

"Fine." Lirio stepped back and let Mazuma forward, who rubbed his hands together.

Lirio turned and leaned back against the wall in time for Mazuma to scream "EW!"

"What?" Lirio looked up, concerned.

"This is gross!" Mazuma cried.

"It's a dirty diaper, Mazuma. Of course it's gross."

Mazuma moaned. "Ok, so what do I do now?"

"Take it off her and throw it away."

Mazuma looked at him like he was crazy. "I have to touch it?!"

Lirio pinched the bridge of his nose. "I once saw you rip a man's intestines out through his nose, and you didn't even blink! How is this worse than that?!"

"That was blood. This is poo."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Lirio said. "Here, I'll take over."

"No! I've got this, I promise!" Mazuma cried. He grimaced, then picked up the dirty diaper by the edge and tossed it in the trash. "There, done."

"Ok, now wipe her off."

Mazuma hesitated at first, but he soon got the hang of it. He threw the baby wipe away and smiled. "Kay, now what?"

"Now put the new diaper on her."

It took him quite a while and a good number of diapers to figure it out, but eventually he got it on right. "I did it, I did it!" He cried, pumping his fists in the air.

"Yep, you did it." Lirio agreed. "Now, you gonna leave me alone?"

"Yes." Mazuma replied. "Thanks for letting me help!"

"Don't mention it." Lirio replied as Mazuma turned to leave. "And Mazuma?"

He turned back around. "Yeah?"

Then he saw that the diaper had fallen off of Stella and was on the floor.

Lirio smirked. "It was good, but next time, make sure the diaper is _secured_ before you pick her up."

…

October 5, 2039

Location: San Francisco, CA

12:20 A.M.

Marion's vision was blurry. He was on his back on the hard gravel, covered in cuts and bruises, and just plain exhausted. Above him, he could see the purple haired witch who did this to him, starring down at him, her face blank.

"Fucking bitch…" He muttered. "I'll tear you limb from…" He tried to sit up and collapsed again.

She sighed. "Lastimoso."

"Huh?" He blinked. "What's that mean?"

"It means 'pitiful.'" She replied, kneeling down beside him. "You gave this fight your all, but you still couldn't beat me. Why?"

"Maybe because you had an unfair advantage." He replied. "Or maybe you're just stronger than me. Who knows?" He closed his eyes. "Well, I've lost. Knowing your kind, that means I'm dead." He looked up at her. "Just go on and kill me already."

Mii bit her lip as if she was thinking, and nodded slightly. She reached down…

And pressed the red button on his gun.

He looked at her, confused. "What…what did you just do?"

"I turned on your emergency beacon." She replied, standing up. "The other members of your team will be here soon, so I have to go." She smirked. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Don't flirt with me, you whore. I'm not looking for a girlfriend."

She tapped his nose. "Ah, ah, ah. What did I say about being rude?" She smirked. "Besides, I'm not looking for another boyfriend, either. _I'm actually engaged_~"

Marion laughed. "You? Who in their right mind would want to marry you?" He shook his head. "God, I feel sorry for him, whoever he is."

She looked back at him, and for the first time he could swear he saw anger in her eyes. But then she just smiled again. "Well, I have to go. I hope you don't have any more questions for me." She turned to leave…

"Wait!" He called. "Why…why are you sparing me? What's the point of letting me live?"

She sighed. "Dioses, eres ignorante." She muttered. Then she turned around. "It's a funny story actually…" She knelt down before him again. "Back at home, I have a baby."

Marion's eyes widened.

Mii continued. "She's about two weeks old by now. Her father; my fiancé, and I love her very much." She stood up. "And I want to raise her to know right from wrong. If that means setting a good example myself then so be it." She turned to leave…

"A good example?!" Marion cried. "You've destroyed half our planet, killed our families, and slaughtered millions on a whim! And you claim you want to set a good example?!" He scoffed. "Forget it, sweetheart. Your kid is probably going to turn out as fucked up as you! It's too late to start playing the good guy now that you're a mom!"

Mii just stood there, and she turned to look back at him, a sad smile on her face. "That's funny…" She murmured. "I thought you humans believed in forgiveness." Then, in a flash of purple, she disappeared.

…

October 5, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

2:40 P.M.

Lirio was roused awake by the sound of the door opening. He heard someone giggle, and opened his eyes to see Mii standing a few feet away, watching him and Stella doze in the rocking chair.

She cocked her head to one side. "Te estoy molestando?"

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "How was the mission?"

"It was fine." She knelt next to him and ran her finger over Stella's forehead. "How was our baby?"

"She was quiet." He replied. "Mazuma insisted on trying to 'help' me today."

"Oh, I bet that was fun." Mii said sympathetically.

"You bet." Lirio rubbed his eyes. "But, he eventually left me alone, after I let him change Stella."

"Is that why the changing station is a mess?"

"Yep." Lirio smirked. "I'll clean it up, don't worry."

"Good." She kissed him deeply. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

Lirio nodded as she left the room, stood up, and lay Stella in her crib. She curled up on her side, clutching Amigo, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Oi~" He heard someone call from the doorway, and turned to see Mii standing there in just a towel, a seductive smirk upon her face.

"Aren't you coming?" She crooned sweetly. He blushed and nodded, and he took him by the collar and pulled him out of the room.

* * *

**If you're wondering about the wacky times, it's because Japan, where the Mother Ship is, is 16 hours ahead of California. So while it's the morning of October 5th over there, In San Francisco it's the evening of October 4th.**

**This chapter was pretty fun. I had lots of fun with Mazuma's scenes, he's always a riot. Marion's just as jerky as ever, and Mii sure can read Lirio like an open book.**

**Well, It's midnight and I should be dead asleep right now, so that's what I'm going to do. Goodnight!**


	7. Remembering

**Hi again!**

**Um...to the reviews!**

**First of all; thanks to The Omega Mega 1 for helping me edit this _again_ and helping me with ideas _again_! You've been very helpful!**

**BRSFangirl109: Glad both you and your sister are enjoying this! Thanks again for you're positive and always fun to read reviews! As for your questions; we all know how Marion is. He'll use any method available to him to win this war. Stella may just prove to be another method. With Zaha and White, there won't be a scene where they talk for...quite a while, but there will be eventually! And as for tragedy, you'll get a taste of that in this here chappy! But you'll have to read to find out~**

**RYNO IV: Your welcome! ;)(Don't worry, the bike missions seem insanely hard, but it's worth it.)  
You do have to remember, this is slightly AU, so many things won't be EXACTLY like the game. However, I like to keep things as close to the canon as possible, so many things you will recodnize. As for the writing style, I do try to add in a lot of detail, but I found it sounds very awkward when I do, like I'm obsessing on something. (Like Moby Dick and it's entire chapter on the color "white.") But thanks for your input! I will be trying to add in more detail without it seeming weird! (And remember; no matter how hard they are to beat in the game, don't hate the Apostles!)  
**

**Welp, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

December 9, 2032

Location: Mother Ship

1:15 P.M.

Mii sat cross legged on the floor of Stella's room, holding her baby in her lap. Stella was giggling happily as Mii turned the pages of the small book they were reading, rocking her side to side gently and reading to her in her sweet, soft voice.

"In a warm and sultry forest," She began "There once lived a mother fruit bat and her new baby. Oh, how Mother Bat loved her soft, tiny baby. 'I'll name you Stella Luna,' she crooned. Each night, Mother Bat would carry Stella Luna clutched to her breast as she flew out to search for food."

Stella put her hand on the picture of the bat and giggled. She cooed and burbled a few times, and Mii couldn't help but laugh. She kissed her baby's head and continued.

"One night, as Mother Bat followed the heavy scent of ripe fruit, an owl spied her. On silent wings, the powerful bird swooped down upon the bats. Dodging and shrieking, Mother Bat tried to escape, but the owl struck again and again, knocking Stella Luna into the air. Her baby wings were as useless as wet paper. Down, down, she went, faster and faster; into the forest below."

Suddenly the door opened, and Mii looked up to see Lirio enter the room. He smiled and knelt down beside them. "Am I interrupting something?"

Mii shook her head. "I'm just reading to her. She seems to be enjoying-"

"Ba!" Stella cried, smacking the picture again.

Mii and Lirio looked down in surprise. "Qué fue eso, honey?"

"Ba!" Stella said again, and smacked the picture of the bat twice.

Mii gently placed her own hand over her daughter's on the picture. "…Bat?"

Stella smiled. "Ba! Ba!"

Mii smiled and touched Lirio's arm. "Mi amor, I think she's…"

"Talking…" He finished with a smile. "She's talking."

Stella giggled and said with a smile "Ba! Ba…Bat!"

"Lo tienes!" Mii cried, overjoyed.

"Bat!" Stella said again. "Bat! Bat!"

Lirio chuckled and kissed her tiny hand. "That's my girl."

At this moment Shizu entered the room. "Hey Mii-chan I…what's going on?"

Mii looked up and beckoned for Shizu to come closer. "Stella just learned her first word!"

"Already? But she's only three months old…" Shizu sat down beside them and leaned forward.

Stella clapped. "Bat!"

Shizu raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll be…"

Stella giggled and held her hand out to Shizu. "Bat?"

"No, honey, that's Shizu." Mii crooned gently. "Shizu."

"Bat!" Stella insisted.

Shizu chuckled. "Give her a bit more time, she'll pick it up." She sat back on her heels. "I'm surprised she's talking already, most kids don't start until they're close to a year old."

"Well, she's our special little girl." Mii said, tickling her baby's tummy.

Shizu couldn't help but smile at this. "She'll be babbling before you know it." She then looked up. "And not to ruin the mood, but Zaha has Nafhe on the video phone in the living room…and she wants to talk to you."

"What about?" Lirio asked.

"What do you think?

Mii sighed. "Zaha told her then." She picked up Stella and stood up. "Vamos?"

"Yeah…" Lirio said, following her out of the room.

Shizu sighed. "Doesn't matter what Nafhe says…" She said to herself. "They're not giving up their baby this time."

…

Mii and Lirio entered the living room and found Mazuma, Kali, and Zaha sitting in various chairs around the room. On the screen was the image of a little pink haired girl lying on a hospital bed. Nafhe's eyes narrowed when she saw the two sit down on the couch, still holding Stella.

"So you didn't learn your lesson the first time." She said. "Except this time, instead of having one of your own, you took someone else's."

"She was abandoned." Lirio replied, trying to keep his voice calm. "Would you have left her there?"

"Yes, because I understand my orders." She replied. Nafhe then shook her head. "What is it with you two and having kids? Couldn't you just wait until the invasion is over? You'll still be young by then, you'll have time."

"But Stella didn't." Mii said.

"Who's Stella?" Nafhe looked down at the baby in Mii's lap. "Wait, you already named her?!"

"We didn't. Whoever left her there did."

Nafhe groaned. "Mii-chan, seriously, I'm warning you…" She said. "That thing isn't gonna last long. So far it's only gotten you in trouble."

"And how exactly would you know?" Mii snapped. "You haven't even been here!"

"Mii…" Zaha said in a warning voice.

Mii clenched her jaw but managed to calm herself. Lirio placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed her arm.

Nafhe sighed. "You're really not gonna give her up, are you?" She looked strait at them. "Last chance guys. It'll save you a lot of heartache, trust me."

Mii looked about ready to punch the TV, and Lirio narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

Nafhe shrugged. "Whatever. Well, the doc says my injury is almost healed, so I can come home soon."

"We can't wait to have you back, Nafhe." Zaha assured her.

"Yep. You'll be getting into my movie collection and gluing the cases shut again before you know it." Mazuma added.

Nafhe smirked. "You didn't even like 'Men in Black 2!'"

"Doesn't mean you can seal it shut!"

"That's enough you two!" Zaha scolded them. "So when can we expect you back, Nafhe?"

"About five days."

He nodded. "We'll see you then. Everyone, you're dismissed."

Mazuma, Kali, Mii and Lirio all stood up and left the room.

Zaha turned back to the screen, smiling now. "I'm so happy you're better."

Nafhe smiled back. "You always taught me to be a trooper."

"I'm not going to pretend I wasn't worried." He added. "I'm so sorry. It should be me in there, not you."

"It's okay, really!" She insisted. "You didn't know the humans would do that. It was their fault." She wiped a tear away. "I miss you, Daddy. I can't wait to come home."

"I can't wait either." He replied. "I love you, Nafhe."

"I love you too." She replied. Then the camera shut off.

…

December 14, 2039

Location: San Francisco, CA.

11:20 A.M.

"We'll need to do a supply check." Marion said. "Make sure all weapons are full on ammo."

"Got it!" A soldier called from across the room.

Marion turned to the dark skinned man a few feet away from him. "You really think this is gonna work?"

"We're following your orders, Frank." He replied, cocking his rifle.

"Dammit Phobos, I made you my lieutenant so you could help me make decisions!"

Phobos looked up at him. "You had a run-in with an alien, boss, not me."

"Yeah…" He said, sitting down on a plank of wood. "It still gets me thinking. She said she had a child at home, and a fiancé. And that she wanted to make sure her child grows up well…" He sighed. "Maybe its just human nature, but I actually wanted to believe her."

Phobos sat down next to him. "You never know with their kind." He said. "For all we know, she could have been lying."

"And there is another thing…" Marion mentioned. "We haven't really heard anything from them in a while…"

"Like I said…" Phobos replied. "You never know."

"Commander Marion!" A soldier called from outside. "Come quick! There's something in the sky!"

Both Marion and Phobos stood up and ran outside. They looked up into the sky and…

"Oh, you bitch…" Marion muttered. "You lying bitch."

Hovering in the sky were at least two dozen alien space vessels, each one ready for combat. Sure, they were smaller than the original Mother Ship, but they were still easily the side of three trucks.

One of the ships turned around and headed in a different direction, and without warning, the others opened up and dropped the armaments right onto the base.

"OPEN FIRE!" Marion yelled. The soldiers cocked their guns and began shooting at the machines. He heard the screams of two soldiers as they were sliced down by one of those huge red CNRT things. It turned and fired its laser at them, blowing a hole in the building and torching several other fighters.

Marion dove to the ground and covered his head to protect himself from the flying, burning wreckage. "You sick, lying, whore!" He cried out, as if Mii could somehow hear him. "What was that bullshit about wanting to set a good example?! What was that about wanting her to grow up well?! Well I hope you're kid grows up to be as fucked in the head as you are, you damn slut!" He clenched his fist. "I hope she grows up and murders you!"

…

December 15, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

4:20 A.M.

Mii starred down at the computer monitor in horror as she watched the armaments destroy the survivor base. She placed her hand over her mouth and choked back a sob, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood.

She didn't understand. She had never been this sympathetic with the humans before. Why now?

Her sobs caught the attention of Lirio, who rushed to her and took her into his arms, holding her tightly. He rubbed her back and let her cry into his shoulder, asking her gently "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I said I wanted to set a good example for Stella, and teach her right from wrong…" She gestured to the monitor "But how can I if I don't even know right from wrong?!"

He took her hand and kissed it softly. "Sometimes there's a fine line between right and wrong…and we'll sometimes do bad things for a good reason." He said. "We want to bring peace back to our planet, but to do that another has to die." He rubbed her shoulders. "The only thing we can do is make sure Stella doesn't follow our example."

Mii looked down. "He cometido muchos errores en mi vida…I have so many regrets."

"I know." He said. "We both do."

She suddenly pulled away. "I want to go see her."

Lirio looked at the clock. "It's the middle of the night."

She nodded.

He sighed. "Alright." He took her hand. "Let's go."

…

"You sure you're okay watching Stella?" Mii asked.

Shizu nodded. "It's fine." She replied, the baby resting on her shoulder. "You two need this."

Mii nodded. "Gracias." She turned to Lirio. "Estoy listo."

Lirio nodded and took her hand.

"What should I tell Nafhe?" Shizu called after them.

Mii turned back. "Don't…don't let her see Stella just yet. Not until we get back."

"Just tell her we'll be back in a few hours." Lirio added. And with that, the two teleported out.

…

With a clank, the small weapons ship attached to the Mother Ship's docking station. The other Apostles stood around and watched as the doors opened and Nafhe stepped out. She walked slowly and seemed a bit unsteady on her legs, but that didn't change the domineering expression on her face.

She approached the group and put a hand on her hip. "I don't see the lovely couple anywhere."

"They had to take care of something." Shizu said, her hand brushing the baby monitor attached to her belt. "They'll be back soon."

Nafhe tilted her chin up and smirked at the others. "Well Mazzy, miss me?"

"You wish." He muttered. "I've re-hidden my movie collection."

"And I'll find it again, as always~" She replied. She looked around. "So where's this new little flesh wad determined to steal my reputation?"

"She's asleep." Shizu said.

"Well then wake her up."

"Sorry, no can do." Shizu replied. "Even if I were allowed to, good luck getting that one up."

Nafhe pouted. "Not fair! I at least want a good look at the competition!"

"Well, you'll just have to wait." Shizu replied.

"Where are they anyways?!" Nafhe demanded. "One of their comrades is coming home! They should be here to welcome me!"

"Nafhe," Shizu said "They went to see Alejandra."

Nafhe looked taken aback for a moment. "They…could've done that after, you know." She stuttered out.

"Show a bit of compassion." Mazuma scolded her.

"Oh, like you did?!" She turned on him. "Who got his eye gouged out for referring to her as 'collateral damage?' I believe those were your exact words!"

"That was two years ago!" He countered. "I didn't understand like I do now!"

"That's enough, you two!" Zaha interrupted, standing between the two. "Nafhe, why don't you go unpack and rest? We'll have Mii and Lirio show you Stella as soon as they get back."

Nafhe looked ready to voice a retort, but she instead closed her mouth and nodded. Picking up her bag, she retreated down the hall to her room.

Shizu sighed. "She is right, you know. You were one of the most insensitive when she died."

"Yeah, and that's the last time I ever speak my mind around Mii." He said. "Cost me an eye."

"It wasn't just that…" She said. "I don't think they ever healed from it. Maybe that's what drove them to take in Stella. As a replacement for Alejandra."

"You think?" Mazuma asked. "I've never actually seen Lirio cry until the night of the incident."

Shizu sighed. "Accident or not…no parent should be forced to bury their own child."

…

December 15, 2039

Location: Shirakami-Sanchi forest, Japan

4:40 A.M.

The forest was very quiet. Under the silvery moonlight, a small flash of purple and green could be seen, reflecting off the water of the small pool, with a tiny trickle of water running down the rocks.

Mii and Lirio walked forward slowly, until they stood before the tall, ever blooming Sakura tree with the tiny headstone in front of it. Mii knelt down in front of it, and Lirio placed a tiny, white lily on the ground in front of it.

"Somos nosotros, darling." Mii whispered, her voice wavering. "We came to visit you." She stroked the headstone. "I'm sorry we haven't visited you more often. We're…" She gulped. "We're so, so sorry!" Then she broke. Her voice cracked and she collapsed against the stone, wracked with heavy sobs and gaping for air. She screamed into her hands as Lirio pulled her against him, but anyone could tell from looking at him that he was crying too.

"Yo…yo lo siento!" Mii screamed again. "Mi bebé, mi hija, I'm so sorry!" She pulled away from Lirio and pressed both hands to the headstone again. "I know I've failed you! I know I should have fought for you!" She felt the tears pour down her cheeks. "I know I've failed as a mother, and every day I wish I could bring you back!" She looked up to the sky. "Te quiero mucho, Alejandra! I'm so sorry!" She shook her head. "It was my fault! I should never have let them take her!"

Lirio took her shoulders and made her look at him. "It's just as much my fault as it is yours." He choked out, tears streaming down his face. "I had a chance to protect her…" He put his head in his hands and cried silently, his chest heaving and his body shaking. "It was my fault…I should have protected her. I should have kept them from taking her away." He looked up and ran his hand over the stone. "We could have run…run away with her, someplace they wouldn't be able to find us…" He looked away as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Por qué no me…?" Mii cried. "I should have been the one to die! I should have died that day, not her!" She clutched her head. "She did nothing wrong! I should have been punished! They shouldn't have taken her away when I was the one who committed the sin! And I'd atone for it…" She lifted her head and screamed. "I'D GIVE MY LIFE TO HAVE YOU BACK!"

With the last word, she collapsed against Lirio's chest again, and the two held each other tightly as they sobbed in front of their daughter's grave.

_Alejandra_

_Daughter of Mii and Lirio_

_July 3, 2033 to July 3, 2037_

* * *

***Sniff* Ok, I can explain...**

**If any of you have read my other fanfics, you'll know that in at least two of them, Mii and Lirio have a daughter named Rio. However, since Rio is my little baby OC, I simply could not kill her off. So that lead me to create Alejandra, a child they had illegally in the first year of the invasion, back when Zaha had a tighter fist on his crew. You'll learn more about her later.**

**I think I'll do a few more with Stella as a clueless infant before the plot REALLY takes off. **

**See you guys next time!**


	8. Renouncing

**Hi!**

**MY ARM HURTS OH GOD IT HURTS WHY WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF WHY DO I TYPE FOR HOURS ON END WHY WHY WHY?!**

**Yeah, I had a massive brain surge (and a fear jolt after realizing that I now seem to have established a deadline on these things) and I got REEEEEEEEEEEEAALLLY typer-happy, resulting in this little piece of work. Frankly, I don't know what to make of it yet, cause my head hurts too much, but I feel like I should be proud of it, so I am. And I hope you will enjoy it as well. Now, since my arm really hurts and I can't type a lot, I'll get to reviews!**

**The Omega Mega 1: Ah, my grumpy, cynical editor, where would I be without you? Thanks again for editing this one, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**BRSFangirl109 (And sister): Glad you're still enjoying this! I always look forward to your reviews! (But do get some sleep, though...)  
Anyway, I don't really need to answer the questions here, because they're already answered in the chappy! I do believe you'll like it!  
**

**RYNO IV: Oh...I should have warned you, fanfiction has this rule about no outside links to prevent spam, so the link didn't come through all the way. But if you tell me the name I'll go listen to it. As for your theories, and I know everyone else is thinking this, too, YES, I WILL DO A TIMESKIP! IN FACT IT WILL BE SOON! After this, guys, just one more chappy and then I'll timeskip, I promise! As for the second one...probably, since they are Apostles and it would only make sense that she learn how to defend herself.**

**Enjoy, and I'll see you all at the end!**

* * *

December 15, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

6:30 A.M.

The couple returned to the Mother Ship, exhausted and with tear streaked faces. They walked down the hall to the living room, and found none other than Nafhe, arms crossed and foot tapping.

"Took you long enough." She muttered. "You guys weren't here to hear about how much I _missed_ you!"

"Oh how sad." Lirio muttered. "How will we ever survive?"

Nafhe scowled. "Is that any way to welcome home your poor injured companion?"

"Go jack off to your Vocaloid music." Mii muttered angrily.

"Well, isn't someone a little grumpy today~" Nafhe tilted her chin up and smiled. "I'll let it slide on one condition; I wanna see the baby."

"Vete al diablo." Mii replied.

"Mii…" Zaha said in a warning voice.

Mii looked Nafhe in the eye. "Crees que soy estúpido?! Like hell I'd let you see her! You'd hurt her!"

Suddenly she felt someone touch her shoulder and looked up to see Lirio. She was about to say something but her fiancé stopped her.

"Let's bring her out." He said. "Don't worry; I won't let her do anything to Stella."

"But-"

"We both know whose side Zaha will take." He whispered. "If we cooperate now, maybe we'll have a better chance of protecting Stella in the long run."

Mii opened her mouth to protest, but she saw the look of determination in his deep green eyes and decided not to. She nodded and turned to Nafhe. "Give me a minute." She turned and retreated down the hall.

Nafhe smirked. "Jeez, you're too easy to manipulate." She said to Lirio, who scowled at her and looked away.

"Aw, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" She jested. "Aw, calm down, I'm just teasing! I won't do anything to the little bugger…_yet_~"

Lirio gave her a murderous look, but it didn't last long because Mii re-entered the room, this time with Stella in her arms. "Aquí esta."

Nafhe approached them slowly to get a closer look. She peered down at the sleeping child and her face twisted into an expression that clearly stated she didn't know WHAT to feel. First it was the urge to squeal at something so cute, then it was the urge to cry, then it was the urge to throw the little bugger out a window. Mii held the baby close to her chest, keeping her distance warily from Nafhe.

Nafhe stuck her chin in the air. "She's so…squishy looking." She grit her teeth. "I-I don't know what I was worried about! I'm way cuter than that thing!"

Suddenly Stella awoke with a squeak, and Nafhe clenched her fists. The baby looked around a bit, before she tugged on Mii's shirt and squeaked again.

"What's she doing?!" Nafhe demanded.

"She needs to feed." Mii replied bluntly. She sat down on the couch and undid her shirt, revealing her breast to the baby. Stella giggled and latched on quickly, beginning to suckle.

Nafhe's eye twitched and her face turned as red as Mazuma's hair. "C-CAN'T YOU DO THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE?!"

Mii looked back, smirked, and shook her head. "Ella quiere que la leche ahora. Making her wait would be cruel."

Nafhe opened her mouth to retort, but instead she just closed it and stormed back out of the room.

Mii smirked. "I knew that would get her."

Lirio sat down beside her and rested his elbow on his knee and his cheek in his hand. "You're really something, you know that?"

Mii winked at him. "That's what you love about me, right?"

He laughed. "As if I could help it." He leaned forward and kissed her.

…

December 14, 2039

Location: San Francisco, CA.

1:30 P.M.

Marion sighed as he surveyed the damage around him. The north wall was completely destroyed, the east wall was barely sanding up, and the roof had caved in on one half. The soldiers were struggling to lift each other out of the rubble and clean up, checking ammunition and helping the injured.

"We just did a roll call, boss." Phobos said. "We lost 32 people. Twelve of who are incapacitated."

Marion clenched his fists. "I've head enough of this bullshit!" He shouted. He grabbed his megaphone and turned it on.

"LISTEN UP, ALL OF YOU!" He shouted. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked up at him.

"I don't know about you, but I've had enough of these aliens and their sick, twisted games!" He shouted. "Last alien I ran into spared my life, saying _she wanted to set a good example for her baby_." He said in a mocking voice. "Then next thing we know, they drop fifty tons of armaments onto our base and God knows where else! And I've had enough!" He took a breath. "My lieutenant and I will be taking fifty soldiers with us to their home base. We'll be armed with all explosive devices and the most powerful guns we can find. And, for the men, women and children who perished in this war…" He pumped his fist in the air. "WE'LL BLOW THE FUCKERS SKY HIGH!"

He heard some cheers from around the camp, but many only just nodded in agreement.

He sighed. "We'll be calling you up by name, so listen carefully." He said. Then he turned off the megaphone.

"Boss," Phobos said "You do know it's a twelve hour flight from here to Japan."

"Then we better get going, shouldn't we?" He replied. Phobos grunted and nodded.

…

"Is that all?" Marion asked, scanning the crowd of men and women who had been rounded up.

"You said you wanted fifty soldiers, boss." Phobos replied. "Still, hearty looking bunch if you ask me."

"Yeah…" Marion scanned the rough faces of each and every soldier, and finally approached one; the only one who looked remotely scared.

"You!" He shouted. The young man flinched.

Marion leaned forward. "What's your name, son?"

"R-R-R-Rothcol…R-Rothcol Shepard. Sir!" He added hastily.

"How old are you?"

"N-Nineteen, sir."

Marion nodded. "Well, Sergeant Shepard, lemme ask you something…" He looked the man strait in the eye. "Have you ever killed a man before?"

Rothcol hesitated, and then shook his head.

"So you weren't there when we slaughtered the first eight aliens and hung their bones around our necks like candy necklaces, eh?"

He saw Rothcol turn a bit green.

"Cause let me tell you something about those aliens..." He continued. "You'll be out there, shooting one down, all happy cause you think you've got the advantage, and you're beating an extraterrestrial, whoopee! And then you're standing over them, and they're on the ground, and you know what happens?"

Rothcol gulped. "What happens, sir?"

Marion scowled. "They look up at you, and you look strait down into their eyes, and I'll tell you something, Sergeant, they got eyes just like a humans." He wiped his thumb over his brow. "Suddenly you begin to doubt yourself, looking down into their eyes that are suddenly all afraid and pleading and so, so sad, and you start thinking 'oh dear God, I'm ending a life! I can't do this!' Then WHAM!" He slapped his palm, making Rothcol jump. "They see you hesitate and make their move, and you're dead on the ground before you can blink."

Rothcol nodded. "Y-Yes sir."

"So Sergeant," Marion continued. "I don't want to loose any more men today, and God knows their kind doesn't show mercy. So you gotta promise me that when you find one, you won't chicken out." He said. "Even when they're on the ground, bleeding and crying and begging you for mercy, just close your eyes and shoot 'em in the damn forehead. Can you do that?"

Shaking, Rothcol nodded. "I can, sir."

"Good!" Marion stood up. "Then everyone, suit up and load up! I wanna be home in time for supper!"

…

December 15, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

6:35 P.M.

"It's been a while since we've all eaten together." Shizu said.

The Apostles were all seated around the very large dining table in the middle of the room, each one silently eating their meals.

"But did they really have to bring _that_ with them?" Nafhe pointed her fork at Stella, Who was seated in a high chair between Mii and Lirio, dozing peacefully.

"It's a good way to get her used to people." Mii replied.

"But she's not even eating! She just sits there and sleeps the whole time!"

Lirio shrugged. "Would you rather she cry?"

Nafhe scowled. "Just saying, you know."

"Speaking of which, I had a new idea for a movie-" Mazuma began.

Everyone at the table groaned.

"What?" He asked.

"Come on, Mazuma, again?" Shizu questioned him. "You've yet to finish the first one you stared on!"

"No offense, but all your ideas seem to go down the gutter." Lirio added.

"They weren't all bad!"

"Need we remind you of your Western film?" Mii added.

"Hey, I _had_ to cancel that one 'cause Kali nebladed all the horses on the planet." He said, waving his fork at the silent behemoth, who only grunted and continued eating.

"And anyway, this one would involve Stella as our leading actress." He added with a smirk.

Mii and Lirio both looked at him skeptically.

"_What_?!" He said again. "I thought you'd be happy for your daughter to have a chance at stardom!"

"And what would be the plotline?" Lirio asked skeptically.

Mazuma dropped his fork and spread his arms wide. "Behold; the NINJA BABY!"

Mii sighed and Lirio smacked his forehead.

…

Mii and Lirio sat on the floor of the living room, Mii with Stella in her lap, as they watched the baby play with a few new toys that Kali had brought home from his mission. Stella picked up a set of plastic keys and shook them, laughing at the sound they made, and then tried to hand them to Lirio.

He chuckled and took them, then handed them back to her. She laughed and shook them again, and this time she accidentally dropped them on the ground. Before one could reach for them, Stella leaned forward, dragging herself out of Mii's lap, and grabbed the keys. Now, however, she looked around to find herself lying almost face down on the floor. She tried to roll over, and found that she wasn't used to rolling from her stomach to her back. She lay there for a minute, looking confused, until Mii went around and sat down in front of her.

"Hola!" She said, leaning down to make eye contact with her. In response, Stella began to clap and laugh. Mii giggled as well, and so did Lirio. Stella looked around, and then tried to use her arms to slowly drag herself across the floor back into her mother's lap.

Mii smiled in delight and hugged her baby tightly. She noticed Stella, again, trying to pull herself out of her lap and across the room, this time in Lirio's direction. He smiled and opened his arms out to her, and after several minutes, she finally managed to pull herself into his lap…

And drop the plastic keys in front of him.

All the while, Nafhe stood in the doorway, scowling.

…

Later that night, while everyone else was asleep in their own beds, a tiny shadow crept down the hall. It seemed to walk unsteadily, as if its legs hurt a bit, but that didn't stop it. The floorboards squeaked as it went along, and suddenly it stopped and opened the door to Lirio and Mii's room.

The couple slept like they did every night, cuddled together under the covers. Lirio's chin rested on top of Mii's head, her head rested on his chest, and the two lay with their arms tightly wrapped around each other.

The shadow watched them for a moment, then closed the door and walked a few feet down the hall…to Stella's room.

The door opened with barely any noise. The tiny baby lay curled up on her right side, clutching Amigo loosely in her tiny hands. She squeaked as she breathed, and every once in a while she would twitch ever so slightly, which for some reason just made her cuter.

And all the while, Nafhe starred down at her, watching.

"What is it that they see in you, huh?" Nafhe asked quietly. "What's so special about you? You're nothing. You're just a tiny blob that eats and sits around in your own poo." She scowled. "But everyone seems to think you're cute…so nothing personal," She reached down, preparing to strangle her. "But I gotta protect my reputation."

A second passed.

Then two…

And suddenly, Stella awoke with a squeak and looked up at her, her blue eyes drowsy. She blinked and yawned, and curled up again, prepared to go back to sleep.

Nafhe bit her lip. "Cut it out you…"

Stella absentmindedly put her hand in her mouth and began to suck on her thumb.

"Stop it, dammit!" Nafhe cried. She flinched and looked around, hoping no one heard her, and finally she sighed and sat down. "Aw, hell." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "You really are something, you know?"

Nafhe turned around and looked at Stella, who was still sleeping, holding Amigo and sucking her thumb.

"Shit." She muttered. "You're gonna be the death of me, I can just see it." She leaned her head back against the bars of the crib. "One of these days, I'm gonna let my guard down around you, and you're gonna look cute, and then I'm gonna die. I don't know how, but I'll die." She smiled. "Maybe I'll die from hyperglycemia since you're so sweet…"

She looked back again, then back up at the ceiling and sighed.

"You're lucky, too. You have two parents to raise you and love you." She closed her eyes. "I never knew my mother…Zaha said that she left as soon as I was born…" She smiled sadly. "There was no use in lying and saying she loved me. I could still feel her hate even all the way where I was. It doesn't matter. She and my father never loved each other, anyway. It was a…'one night stand,' I think that's what he called it. Anyway, she ended up getting pregnant with me. She wanted to abort me, but my father convinced her not to. And then I was born…" She put her head down "And less than two hours later, she was gone." She looked back at Stella.

"Course, that's not to say I'm ungrateful or anything, I have had a pretty good life…" She smiled. "I got to see the insides of military bases, that's something that most kids _never_ get to do! And we lived in a really nice house once my dad got a promotion and started making more money." She looked up. "And I even got to travel in space, and see stars!"

She turned around again, and saw that Stella was still sleeping. "They don't actually look like this, by the way." She said, pointing to Stella's shooting star blanket. "They're more like…" She struggled to find the right words. "They're…really, really amazing! They're…huge, fiery orbs of glowing fire that crackle and swing huge fiery whips at you! And even as you stand next to them it feels like they're alive!" She looked back at Stella. "Maybe you'll be able to see it one day, huh?"

She turned around again. "Aw, jeez. You see? You're making me go soft." She looked back one more time. "Though…maybe that's not a bad thing-"

KABOOM!

In a split second, the entire wall and window facing the outside was blown off, sending piles of debris flying everywhere and Nafhe tumbling to the ground. The explosion woke Stella, who clutched Amigo and began to whimper.

Nafhe looked up to see, down below, several human soldiers readying their weapons in preparation to fire.

She growled. "Oh no you don't!" She clambered to her feet and whistled. "Chibis! Get out here and fight!"

Dozens of pink, bunny shaped androids came flying from the Mother Ship and descended onto the soldiers below. One stopped and bleeped and Nafhe and she sighed.

"Yes, yes, I know you need your beauty sleep. I'll make it up to you, okay?" The robot bleeped some more, before flying down to join the others.

Nafhe turned around and rushed back to Stella, who was whimpering and looking around desperately.

"Oh jeez…" Nafhe muttered. Carefully, she picked up Stella and held her awkwardly against her chest. "Mii-chan's gonna kill me-"

"Lo que en el nombre de demonios estás haciendo con mi hija?!" Mii screamed as she and Lirio came dashing into the room, looking like they'd gotten dressed in a hurry. Mii looked around. "Y lo que sucedió?! Nafhe if this was you; I swear to Oma and Shu I will-"

"What? You think _I_ did this?!" Nafhe cried. "Hell no! I'm not that desperate for attention! It was the humans!"

"You really expect me to believe-" Mii was cut off by someone below with a megaphone.

"INVADORS OF EARTH, WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" A man's voice shouted. "SURRENDER NOW AND WE'LL KILL YOU QUICKLY! REFUSE, AND WE GAS THE ENTIRE SHIP!"

Mii's eyes widened. "I know that voice…"

"You should." Zaha said, coming into the room, followed by Shizu, Kali, and Mazuma, who also looked like they'd dressed in a hurry. "That's Commander Frank Marion of UEF-PSS."

"Yes I know." She said. "I fought with him."

Zaha raised an eyebrow. "Then why is he still alive?"

Mii opened her mouth to speak but couldn't seem to find the words that would please him.

"Look, we don't have time for this right now!" Lirio said. "We have to get to the weapons room! It's the only way we can fight!"

"How are we going to-" Shizu didn't have a chance to answer that question, because an explosion sounded on the roof, which began to cave in.

"EVERYONE OUT!" Lirio cried, and they all just barely got out by the time the roof collapse on the room, as well as part of the hallway.

"Oh, shit!" Mazuma yelled. "It's blocked. The weapons room is blocked."

"There are other entrances." Nafhe said, handing Stella back to Mii. "Man up you idiot, we can always-"

Two more explosions sounded, and the ship shook.

"I doubt that's an option anymore, Nafhe." Shizu said.

"Maybe we can negotiate with them." Lirio suggested. "They're still human, after all. They're known to have soft spots, just like us."

"Or they might completely ignore their consciences and kill us!" Mazuma cried. "They can be pretty brutal when they want to, you know!"

Zaha sighed. "Risky or not, it seems we have no other choice." He looked at Nafhe and Mii. "Maybe they'll let you three go, at least."

Nafhe shook her head. "No, I'm staying with you!"

"I don't want to argue, Nafhe!" He snapped. She started and looked down, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I just can't afford to lose you."

She nodded.

"Well, might as well get this over with." Mazuma said. The group began to make their trek outside. Mii began to follow but Lirio stopped her.

"If something goes wrong, and they start shooting…" He said "I want you to take Stella and run. Don't look back, and don't wait up for me."

Mii's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No hay manera en el infierno! I'm not leaving you here!"

He took her shoulders. "Mii…" He said. "I can't lose you, you know that. If something happened to either of you I'd…" He took a breath. "I'd never forgive myself."

Mii shook her head, leaned up and kissed him deeply. "Nothing's going to happen to us." She said. "Ahora, los otros están esperando."

…

"Weapons ready…" Marion commanded. The solders all cocked their guns as the Apostles stepped out of the ship. Zaha came forward and raised his hands.

"Humans…" He said. "We understand that, in the times when you asked us for mercy, we did not show it to you. We were the brutal monsters you all dreamt we would be. However…" He spread his arms wide. "Our impression of humanity was that you were kind. A warm, loving race and that was what lead your planet to success. So I ask of you," He said "Show some of that kindness now." He gestured to Mii. "There is a mother here, with a newborn baby not three months old." He put his hand on Nafhe's shoulder. "My own daughter is but a teenager." He stepped forward. "We beg of you, these children have done nothing wrong. If nothing else…at least spare them."

A moment of silence…

Then two…

No one knew who fired the first shot, but suddenly there was a lout BANGBABGBANG, and Zaha dropped to the ground. The others flew into a panic.

In the confusion, Mii felt a hand on her back push her forward and turned to see Lirio. "GO!" He yelled. "_GO NOW_!"

He didn't have to tell her twice. The next thing she knew, she was running.

"_It's just like the story…"_ She thought. "_The mother bat being chased by the owl." _She looked down at Stella. _"Only they'll have to kill me to get me to let go!"_

After a few minutes, Mii found herself in the middle of the Japanese gardens, which were really more like a forest because the trees were so thick you could barely see the sky. She looked around and kept running, shoving plants out of her way and tripping on roots, until she finally heard the click of a rifle.

"Don't move." A shaky voice said.

Standing in front of her was a young man, no more than nineteen, with shaggy brown hair and eyes, and a bit of chin scruff. He held the rifle unsteadily, and Mii could see him shaking from where she stood.

"I-I said don't move!" He said.

"I'm not…moving." She replied, trying to make her voice sound quiet and sweet.

"Y-You're doing that thing, aren't you…?" He said, taking a few steps closer. "C-Commander Marion warned me about t-that…" He was pointing the gun at her head, but it was shaking. She let her eyes wander to the name tag on his coat, which read "Rothcol Shepard."

"H-He said your eyes…" His voice was wavering "Y-Your eyes were just like a humans…"

"But you're not looking at my eyes." She said.

It was true. Rothcol's focus was not on her eyes, but on the now softly crying baby that rested in her arms.

Rothcol bit his lip…and pulled the trigger.

But not before pointing his gun up to the sky.

Mii's eyes widened. "Qué estás haciendo?"

"Run." He said. She hesitated, and he turned around and shouted at her "Run, dammit, run!"

She nodded and gave him her best, sweetest "thank you" smile, then turned and ran.

Rothcol starred after her, and absentmindedly pressed the answer button when his com rang. "Yes sir?"

"You alright, Sergeant?" Marion's voice sounded over the com. "I thought I heard a gunshot coming from your area."

"Sorry sir…" He said, watching Mii's purple hair disappeared into the darkness. "My mistake. It was…just a cat."

…

When Mii opened her eyes again, the sky was getting light. She stretched out slightly from her position, hunched under the roots of a tilted tree, and sighed.

Stella awoke and, again, began tugging on her mother's shirt, which Mii undid as to let her feed. When she was done, she fell back asleep again, with Mii soon dozing off with her…

Until she felt a hand on her shoulder and startled awake.

"Shh!" A pair of green eyes starred into hers. "It's me, Lirio."

"Lirio…" She whispered. She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Oh, gracias a los dioses! Thank the gods!" She pulled away. "What about the others? Are the humans still there?"

Lirio shook his head. "Nafhe fended them off with her bunny droids."

"Ay dios mio." Mii murmured. "Sometimes I wonder about that girl…" She looked up. "And Zaha?"

"Shot twice in the shoulder, once in the side. Shizu's working on him now, he'll be fine."

She smiled "And I expect you'll be needing me to make repairs?"

"If you would." He replied. He held out his arm, which she gladly took as the two continued down the path.

"By the way…" He said. "I was worried when I heard a shot come from over here. What happened, anyway?"

"Oh…" Mii smiled. "One of the humans…" She looked up. "Had a change of heart."

* * *

**YAY! ROTHCOL YAY!**

**For some reason, I just see Rothcol as that kind of guy who'd be trying to make peace with the aliens, so it seemed in character for him to let Mii go. He's certainly much kinder than Marion.**

**As Omega pointed out, Nafhe is such a cute big sis! See? No one can resist the baby face!**

**Well, I have to go now! Hope you had fun!**

**Bye!**


	9. Malady

**Hi everyone! I gotta make this quick since I'm packing up to go on vacation, so I'll get right to reviews.**

**Omega, thanks again for editing this.**

**BRSFangirl108: Nice to finally meet you! It's wonderful you're enjoying the story! Tell your sister it's okay and to hurry back! **  
**Now for your questions, Mii and Lirio are an official couple, both in the game and in the game's manga. (In the game it's never specified, but in the manga they are actually engaged.) I'm glad you like baby Stella, and I hope you'll like her even more as a little girl. Now, to answer your third question, there will be MANY MANY MANY MANY MORE kissing scenes. Those are what I live on. The other three contain spoilers, but don't worry, you'll like the outcome.**

**RYNO IV: Thanks, I'll listen to the song when I get the chance!**

**Now, I gotta go pack for a bit.**

* * *

December 16, 2039

Location: Mother Ship

8:15 A.M.

Mii focused her energy and the last bits of wood and metal fell back into place, recreating the rooms and hallways that were destroyed. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Tired?" She heard a voice behind her say. Turning around, she saw Lirio standing there, holding Stella in his arms.

She smiled. "Muy. I'm just glad it's over."

"Hopefully…" Lirio muttered. "We should update the security system, in case they try to attack again."

"If they do, at least the security around Stella's room should be amped up." Mii replied. "I don't think it was a coincidence that they attacked there first."

"We'll double the amount of armaments in that area." Zaha said, rolling into the room, as he was now in a wheelchair and his arm was in a sling. Shizu was pushing him slowly, still dressed out in her gloves and medical scrubs.

"Which _we_ will be taking care of." She emphasized. "_You_ need all the rest you can get, sir. No combat for you for at least a month."

"Shizu-" Zaha began to say, but she stopped him.

"_Doctor's orders_, sir." Zaha sighed. Everyone knew doctor's orders were final and absolute.

"Gee, Zaha, looks like she's really got you stumped." Mazuma piped up. "No combat for a month for our _fearless leader_!"

"Watch your mouth, you!" Nafhe shouted. "He may not be fighting for a while, but he's still your leader!"

"How long are you two gonna keep this up?" Lirio asked them. "Seriously, you've been at each other's throats for one thing or another since day one!"

"When _she_ apologizes for stealing my limited addition copy of 'Jumper' and losing it!"

"I did not lose it! It's still in my room…somewhere…"

"Let me know when you fish it out of the black hole!"

Mii sighed and turned to Lirio. "Living room?"

He nodded and followed her away from the quickly brewing debate.

…

December 15, 2039

Location: San Francisco, CA.

3:15 P.M.

The plane landed back at base camp, and the remaining soldiers trudged off, heads sagging with defeat. Marion looked far more tired and agitated than usual, so Rothcol stayed way at the back, trying hard not to be noticed.

The other soldiers looked up at Marion as he stood up on a large stone, turned on his megaphone, and began to speak.

"My fellow soldiers…" He began. "Yesterday we lead a surprise attack on the enemy; the seven remaining aliens on this earth." He said. "We caught them completely off guard; as it turns out they were all asleep and unarmed when we attacked." He hung his head. "And we also found out something else." He looked up at them. "When I was ambushed by one of the aliens, she told me that she and her…_fiancé_ had a baby together, here, on this planet. Now naturally, I thought she was just screwing with me. I couldn't have been more wrong."

Rothcol watched.

"As it turns out," Marion continued "Not only had the First Apostle had a baby, but the Seventh Apostle, and their leader; Zaha, had brought his teenage daughter along for the ride." He took a breath. "Call us cruel, but that did not stop our advances. We fired on the leader and the rest of the bunch scattered. However…" He sighed "No matter how we tried, our defenses fell to the many armaments that they called in to stop us. But that doesn't mean this was for nothing." He raised his fist. "If anything, this proves that we do have the power to fight these beings! And now we have the advantage!" He shouted. "We know about their children!"

…

Rothcol sat in the darkness of the bunkroom, polishing his gun. His eyes rested on the trigger, which he tapped softly.

_Why couldn't he do it? Why couldn't he kill that woman when he needed to?_

The answer was simple.

"It's because you're not a murderer."

He looked up in surprise. "What? Who are you?"

In front of him stood a small, albino girl, probably no more than sixteen. She wore standard black jeans and a sweater a bit too big for her with the hood pulled up, and Rothcol could see an eye patch over her right eye.

She smiled at him. "You're not a murderer."

"How do you know that?" He snapped. "How do you know-"

"I watched you." She replied simply. "I followed you on your mission."

"Heh…" Rothcol grit his teeth. "But I might be. I'm a soldier. It's my job to kill people."

She smiled. "Because you have a kind heart." She stood in front of him and placed her hand on his chest. "It says so right here, that's why you didn't kill Mii."

"I…I've never met you before."

"No, Mii. M.I.I. The alien you ran into with the baby."

"Oh! Right, her." He muttered. "I just…I couldn't do it…"

The girl sat down next to him.

Rothcol put his head in his hands. "Dear god, she could have killed me! S-She could have killed me right then. I made such a stupid mistake."

"That's not stupid~" She said with a giggle. "That's kind. You're a kind person. And…" She put a hand on his shoulder. "Because of you, the baby and her mother get to stay together."

"Yeah…" He muttered. "But I might have aided the enemy!"

"How? By not killing a mother with a three month old?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious, her big red eyes wide.

Rothcol was taken aback at this. "Um…but that woman was a warrior. She helped to kill several people."

"I thought humans believed in forgiveness." She said. "Huh…but if that's what it takes to win the war, then okay! Still don't think its okay though."

"Wait a minute, that's not what I meant!" He cried. "I just…I don't know, it _is_ wrong! But at the same time…" He sighed and slouched over. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of this damn war. I wish we could try to make peace with them or something." He scoffed. Not like Marion will have any of it."

"Why?" She asked. "What does everyone here have against them? It wasn't always this way."

"It's just…wait…" He looked at her. "What do you mean it wasn't always this way?"

She smiled at him. "My daddy was a government official. He was there when the team first made contact with Earth. They came here because they were in need of something…" She looked puzzled for a minute. "I forget what it was, but it was something we could have easily given them. Anyway, we refused to help them, so they acted out of desperation."

Rothcol shook his head. "I didn't know."

"Yeah, well, most people don't." A man's voice said. The two looked up to see Xiaoming Lee enter the room. He approached the girl, and crossed his arms, a joking smile forming on his face. "Ekishou, are you bothering him?"

"Aw come on! I was only talking to him!" She whined.

Rothcol looked at the two. "Um…do you two…know each other?"

"Yeah." Xiaoming replied, jabbing his thumb at her. "She's my baby sister."

"Oh…" Rothcol rubbed the back of his head. "Well, nice to meet you…"

"Ekishou." She replied, taking his hand and shaking it…hard. "Ekishou Lee."

"O-O-O-O-O-O-k-a-a-a-a-y!" Rothcol tried to get out between all the shaking.

"Eki, that's enough." Xiaoming said, prying her hand loose from Rothcol's. "The whole reason I came in here was to tell you Phobos wants to see you. Something about decoding some text."

"Oh! Right!" Ekishou cried, and she ran out of the room without saying anything else.

Xiaoming looked at Rothcol. "Heck of a girl, eh?"

"Yeah…" He muttered.

…

March 5, 2040

Location: Mother Ship

6:30 A.M.

"Shizu!" Was the first thing Shizu heard as she was roused from slumber. "Shizu despierta! Despierta!"

"Huh?" She felt around for her glasses and groggily put them on. She could hear Kali snoring in the second bed a few feet away from her, but when she sat up she saw Mii, her eyes tired and frantic.

"What is it?" Shizu asked, more alert now. "What's the matter?"

She saw tears in Mii's eyes. "It's Stella! I think she's sick!"

Shizu bolted upright. "Why? What happened?!"

Just by looking at her she could tell Mii was very distressed. "I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard a sound on the baby monitor. Usually she sleeps so quietly but tonight…" She took a breath. "Tonight I could hear her whimpering. And this wasn't normal whimpering; it sounded like she was wheezing, too."

Shizu took her arm and made Mii sit down on the bed. "So I went to check on her, and I saw her lying there, and she looked really uncomfortable, so I thought 'Maybe she just needs to burp or something…" She took another shaky breath. "So I tried for a little while, and nothing was happening except for that she kept getting worse, and finally I went to put her down again…"She shook her head. "I barely took her off my shoulder before she threw up."

"Well sometimes, babies-" Shizu began, but Mii held her hand up to stop her.

"This wasn't just spit-up, Shizu, I've seen that before." She said firmly. "She _threw up_. And there was a lot of it. And right afterwards, she started crying and I couldn't get her to stop! And then she started wheezing again-"

Shizu jumped out of bed. "I have to see this for myself. Where is she?"

"In our room. Lirio is watching her." Mii replied, leading her out of the room. Shizu almost had to run to keep up with Mii's brisk pace. She opened the door to their bedroom, and right away Shizu could tell something was wrong.

Lirio was sitting on the bed, holding Stella on his shoulder, trying to soothe her. The baby was crying, but it was the way she was crying that worried Shizu. Her voice sounded horse and irritated, and there was a hint of gurgling behind each sound she made.

She stepped closer and held her arms out. "Let me take a look." Lirio hesitated, then handed his daughter over to Shizu. She unwrapped the baby from the blanket she was swaddled in and began to examine her.

Stella continued to cry as Shizu carefully felt around her stomach for any abnormalities. She gently pressed on the area by her right hip, and was surprised when the baby screamed in pain. Mii rushed forward but Lirio caught her arm and urged her to wait.

In the meantime, the scream had awoken Nafhe, who came rushing into the room, announced by her squeaky bunny slippers. "What's going on in here?! What happened, huh?!" She approached them and gasped when she saw Stella. "Shizu what's happening?!"

Shizu picked up Stella and wrapped her tightly again. "I need to perform a more detailed examination. For that I need to take her to the medical bay." She put a hand on Mii's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her."

"E-Espera…" Mii stopped her for a second and ran out of the room. When she came back in, she was clutching Stella's little stuffed toy, and she gently handed it to Shizu. "She can't sleep without Amigo."

Shizu took it and placed it in the crying baby's grasp. Immediately she stopped crying and took it, rubbing her face against it. She still whimpered and a few tears fell from her eyes, but it was definitely an improvement.

Mii planted a soft kiss on her baby's forehead, before Shizu took her to the medical bay for the remainder of the night.

…

Breakfast was silent in the Mother Ship. Everyone sat in a state of worry after hearing about what was happening to Stella. Even Kali, who never missed a meal, only picked at the food before him.

Mii was a wreck. Despite her trying to stay positive, flashing a comforting smile here and there, it could easily be seen that she was breaking down. Finally muttered "Excuse me" and rushed away from the table. Lirio followed close behind.

He found her in their room, crying and clutching Stella's blanket, holding it close to her. Lirio felt his heart ache at the sight, and he sat down beside her and put his arms around her, trying to comfort her.

"I can't loose her, Lirio." She whispered into his chest. "Usted sabe que no puedo. I lost Alejandra, I can't loose Stella."

"I know." He said, holding her close to him. He gently kissed her forehead. "But Stella's a strong girl. She can make it through this." He looked Mii in the eye. "I know she can."

Mii wiped the tears from her eyes. "Eso en correcto …" She sniffled. "She's our strong little girl. She can…she can make it through anything."

Just then the door opened and Shizu entered the room. "I got some test results back…" She beckoned for them to follow. "I want you two to take a look."

…

"She was showing some pretty odd symptoms at first. I'd never seen something like it." Shizu said. The three of them were in the medical bay exam room. Stella was lying covered with a blanket on the table, still clutching Amigo. She hadn't gone back to sleep but she had stopped crying.

"Then I decided to look in some human medical books." Shizu continued. "Since she was created by humans, and we look almost completely the same, they must have just based her organ structure on a human's too."

"But we do have all of the same organs as a human, don't we?" Lirio asked.

"Well yes…except one." Shizu held up a small x-ray. "The appendix. Humans have it, but we don't. Before you asked, it's not really even important to them anymore. It doesn't do anything, but it can become infected easily."

"So how does this relate to Stella?" Mii asked.

"Because Stella has one." She replied. "And I think it may be infected."

"En serio?!" Mii could barely keep her voice from shaking.

Shizu sighed. "Depends on how advanced it is. If the appendix is the only thing that's infected, then probably not. However," She ran a hand through her hair. "If it bursts, then we'll have a problem. Either way, it can't be fixed without surgery."

Mii bit her lip. "Will she…be okay?"

Shizu tried her best to smile. "She should be, if we caught it in time." She put a hand on Mii's shoulder. "Don't worry, everything will be fine, you'll see."

Mii nodded slowly. She approached the table Stella was lying on, knelt down, and planted a soft kiss on her baby's forehead.

"Buenas noches, darling." She said, trying to keep her voice steady. "It'll be over soon, don't worry."

Stella whimpered slightly and stretched her arms out, but Mii knew she couldn't pick her up and she instead took hold of her tiny hand for a moment. She watched as Stella's little fingers closed around hers, and sang softly and sweetly;

"_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold._

_Greensleeves was my heart of joy,_

_And who but my lady Greensleeves."_

She let go of Stella's hand, and Lirio put his hand on her shoulder and led her from the room. Mii looked back one last time at her baby girl, before she turned around and left the room.

…

Lirio walked into their bedroom to find Mii sitting cross legged on their bed, starring intently at a picture she was holding. He came over and sat down beside her, and she smiled.

"You remember how scared I was before Alejandra was born?" She asked him. "I've never been so afraid. I had no idea what the future held for us…" She sighed. "Maybe I just wasn't ready yet."

Lirio scooted close to her and put his arms around her. He looked down at the picture and felt the familiar sadness rise up in his chest.

The picture had been taken the day Alejandra had been born. Mii was lying in bed, looking very tired but very happy, and Lirio was kneeling beside her. In her arms, one could easily see the baby she was holding, a little baby girl with purple eyes and snow white hair.

"It was so dark when she was born…" Mii whispered. "And it was raining. Supongo que era un presagio de las clases." She put her head down. "I can't believe I didn't fight for her…"

"In the end, Zaha's orders were absolute." Lirio replied. "We had to give her away, or he would have killed her."

"I still should have tried." She said. "And I didn't…Maybe I just wasn't ready for a child yet."

"Even if that was true," He said "It's not now. I've seen you with Stella." He smiled. "I've seen the way you hold her, the way you sing her to sleep every night. It almost seems like you two are connected by something." He held her hand. "I'd even go as far as to say she looks like you."

She looked up. "En serio?"

He nodded. "It's in the way she smiles, and the way she laughs. I see you in her. In everything she does I see you."

Mii smiled and leaned her head against his chest. "When we first found her…" She said. "I was thinking about Alejandra. Thinking that, if she came back now, I wouldn't make the same mistakes I did back then. I was just wishing that I would get a second chance, and then we did."

"It was almost fate." Lirio agreed. "But something's still different."

"When we brought her home…" Mii continued. "I kept thinking that she could be the thing to fix me. She could be our replacement for Alejandra, and that the hole in my heart would finally be mended. But now…" She shook her head "I realized that no matter what, I'll always miss our first daughter. The hole in my heart will still be there. Because instead, Stella's taken up a different place in my heart entirely." She took a breath. "I'm tired of being sad. I'll always miss Alejandra…" She reached up and touched Lirio's face. "But this was the first time in six years I've felt like a family again."

Smiling as well, he leaned down and kissed her deeply and sweetly.

"And she'll make it through this…" Mii whispered, touching her forehead to his. "I know she will. I won't pretend I'm not worried, but I know she'll make it."

"Am I interrupting something?"

The two turned to see Zaha standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

"Qué es eso?, sir?" Mii asked.

He looked at her. "I need to speak with you privately."

She stood up from the bed. "What is it?"

"I'd…" he looked at Lirio. "I would much rather we discuss this alone."

"Anything you have to say, you can say with him here." She replied. "I don't keep any secrets from my fiancé."

Lirio stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. "Mii, it's alright. I don't mind."

Mii looked back at him, then turned to Zaha and nodded. "Alright."

…

Zaha led her into his office and closed the door. "I've received word of Stella's illness."

"Si." Mii replied. "Shizu's working on her right now. She'll be fine."

"You know, of course, that Stella is a GRAY clone." He said. "Because human technology is so unstable, each one is different."

"Yes." She agreed, leaning against the wall.

"However one thing that was noticed," He said "Was that several of the clones often experienced serious, even fatal, medical complications."

Mii's smile disappeared, and she looked away. "The humans had no idea how to use the technology they were provided with. It can only be assumed that things went wrong."

"And what I'm saying is…" He sighed. "What happened to the other clones might be happening to Stella."

Mii cringed and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I know you don't want to think about this," He continued "But you have to consider the possibility. Stella might not be strong enough to fight off such an infection. She's very small, and despite your genetic enhancements, the core of her DNA will always remain the same. She is still a GRAY."

"Basta…"

"The first generation of GRAY clones never even made it out of the wombs. They all died before they could be born. The second generation clones began experiencing memory loss, immobility, and lack of immunity. Several died from things like aneurisms and heart attacks, as well as common illnesses such as the cold or flu."

"_Basta_…"

"Stella is the only third generation clone in existence. Even if her creator made improvements to her, it might not have been enough to save her in the long run." He held his hands out. "I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but you must consider what will happen if she does di-"

"STOP IT!" Mii cried, smacking his hand away. She took a deep breath. "You might see Stella as a weak child, but she is so much more than that. Ella es mi hija. I believe she can make it through this even if you don't."

"Mii, please think realistically-"

"I am thinking realistically!" She replied. "If it was Nafhe in there, you would hold out hope that she would survive, wouldn't you? Or while she was in the hospital were you constantly telling yourself she was going to die?"

"That has nothing to do with this-"

"You're right, it doesn't." She replied, a strained smile on her face. "And since that's the case, I'd like to excuse myself if you don't mind." She began to walk out.

"Mii, you know-"

SLAM!

Mii stood outside of Zaha's office, fists clenched and breathing hard. She looked up when she heard footsteps and saw Shizu standing in front of her, still in her surgical scrubs.

"Is this a bad time?" She asked.

"No." Mii shook her head and forced a smile. "Esta bien. How'd the surgery go?"

Shizu motioned for her to follow. "You can come see for yourself. She's awake, and I'm sure she wants to see you."

…

"I managed to remove it successfully." Shizu told them, as they stood around Stella in the medical bay. "However, I noticed some inflammation along some of the muscle tissue in the surrounding area. I'm thinking that may be infected as well."

"But will she be alright?" Lirio asked worriedly.

"I have her on some antibiotics right now." Shizu replied. "Hopefully that will kill this thing off before it spreads. If not…we'll just have to wait and see what happens." Shizu looked at them. "Remember, I'm not used to working with things like this."

"Esta…bien." Mii replied absentmindedly.

"She should be okay to go back with you, though." She added, picking the baby up gently. "I'd watch her closely, though. For any other signs of complications." She handed her to Mii. "Keep a very close eye on her."

Mii nodded and held Stella close to her chest, Zaha's words replaying in her mind.

…

March 8, 2040

Location: Mother Ship

9:20 P.M.

It was very unusual for Stella to cry. Even as a baby she would only whimper to indicate she needed something.

So the fact that she wouldn't stop crying now was serious.

Shizu ran a hand through her hair as she examined the baby. This time, all the other Apostles had been crammed into the exam room, each one worried for the little one. Stella was in obvious pain, and Lirio had to literally hold Mii against his chest to keep her from shaking.

Shizu shook her head. "I thought the antibiotics would work." She muttered. "I'm not exactly sure what can be done now."

"Whaddya mean you don't know?!" Nafhe cried, obviously in distress. "You're a doctor! It's your job to save her!"

"Nafhe, I'm trying my best!" Shizu cried. "My only other option is to give her something stronger, but she's so small that I'm hesitant to do so. I don't know what kind of effect it would have on her."

'What other options are there?" Lirio asked. One could hear the desperation is his voice.

Shizu sighed. "The only other option would be to wait and see what happens. Maybe her body can fight off the infection."

"If you gave her something stronger…" Mii managed to ask "What would happen?"

Shizu shook her head. "Worst case scenario; the medication would overpower her circulatory system, stop her heart, and kill her." She looked up. "We'd have a better chance of saving her if we just wait it out."

Mii nodded, burying her face in her hands to hide the tears.

Shizu took a small syringe and filled it with clear liquid. "I'm going to give her a booster. This should help the antibiotic do its job." She said. She took Stella's arm, which was now floppy, and gently injected her with the serum. "Now…the only thing we can do is wait and see what happens. Hopefully this will work."

"And if not?" Nafhe asked.

No one answered her, because no one wanted to think about it.

…

Mii sat in the rocking chair in Stella's room, holding her baby in her arms. Stella's cries had lessened to wheezing whimpers, but this didn't calm Mii in the slightest. Instead, the hazy look in Stella's eyes was enough to make her want to scream and cry.

She had tried feeding her earlier, but she had refused adamantly, not even bothering to look. Stella had turned pale and gagged on a couple of occasions, nearly throwing up some of her own spit, which Mii had wiped away with the burp rag.

So that night, due to everything that was happening, Mii brought Stella into her and Lirio's room and lay her down on the bed. Lirio didn't object and only snuggled closer to the two as Mii began to cry. He took them into his arms and held them close, listening to the horrid sounds of his daughter's wheezing and his fiancée's crying.

"She's going to die!" Mii cried out. "Our baby girl's going to die!"

….

That night, Mii's dreams were dark and silent. All around her was just a cloud of dark mist, swirling and twisting into shadows.

She sat on the ground with her head in her hands, weeping silently. The darkness was suffocating, and she found herself wishing that it would just kill her already. She had failed both her daughters. Failed as a mother. She'd failed…

Suddenly there was a bright white light that flooded her vision, even though her eyes were covered. She looked up, blinded by the light, and squinted against it.

She felt something warm brush her cheek. "Mommy?"

She opened her eyes. No longer was the light blinding, instead it was warm and lively, and in front of her sat a four year old girl with snow white hair and purple eyes.

"Alejandra!" She cried. Without thinking she grabbed her daughter and held her close, crying as she did.

"Mommy…" The little girl whispered, putting her arms around her mother's neck. "Don't worry, Mommy. I'll make Stella okay."

Mii pulled away. "Cómo sabe usted acerca de su?"

Alejandra smiled. "Mommy, I had to go. I had to go so you would find Stella." She said. "Stella needs you, Mommy. I can make her well again, so you two can be together, 'cause I can't be there."

Mii held her face in her hands. "Lo siento, Alejandra. I failed you."

She shook her head. "You didn't fail me, Mommy." She nuzzled into her mother's chest. "You came back for me in the end when I needed you most. That's what I always knew you would do." She looked up. "Now just take care of Stella for me, okay?"

Mii nodded, laughing, and kissed her baby's forehead. "Te amo, my darling."

"I love you too, Mommy."

…

"Mii, wake up."

Mii heard Lirio's voice and felt him shaking her awake. She opened her eyes to see his starring down at her, looking urgent.

"What is it?" She asked, sitting up. He, in reply, just handed her Stella.

Mii gasped. Stella no longer looked sickly pale or in agony. In fact, she was back to her old self, giggling and happy. Mii held her gently in her arms and she began to tug on her shirt, which mad Mii cry in joy.

"Ella es mucho mejor!" She cried. "I can't believe…"

"It's a miracle." Lirio whispered.

Mii nuzzled Stella's forehead and gently whispered "Gracias, Alejandra."

Lirio took her into his arms and held her again, but this time the two cried in joy.

* * *

**D'awwww!**

**This was the last chapter for Stella as a baby. As I promised, next one will be a time skip. However, I am going on vacation, so you might not hear from me for a few days. So it may be at least three days before my next update. Any errors I find I'll fix when I get back. In the meantime, enjoy and I'll se you in 3 days!**


	10. Prospective

**Hello hello again, my darlings~**

**Sorry for leaving you all in a rush like that last time. Due to my lollygagging I didn't finish the chapter as early as I'd hoped and therefore had to squish it into my packing time. My family and I went on vacation for a while, so that's why I was absent that log. I should be posting my vacation picks on deviantArt soon enough.**

**But enough chit chat. TO THE REVIEWS!**

**Once again, Omega, thank you for not only reviewing this chapter, but also providing me with really cool ideas on what the darn thing should be about. Good to know that, even though I probably spoiled most of the story for you, I can still catch you off guard here and there.**

**Knight25: Good to hear from you again! Stella appreciates you knowing her pain.**

**Lonewolf685: I see you finally...spam reviewed. Oh well, that's awesome! Don't worry, I wouldn't kill off Stella as a baby. Mii and Lirio have already been through enough pain thanks to me. If I didn't give them a break I'd be a bad author.**

**Kurisaki-sempai: FINALLY YOU'RE HERE! Actually, the whole reason I upload every 2-3 days is because I wanna get this story done before school starts again. Glad it's giving you something to read, and I hope you'll look forward to all the upcoming chapters!**

**Now, like I promised last chapter, this chappy will be a time skip...**

**To five years later.**

**Ha, I didn't say HOW far I was going to skip. So baby fluff turns into little girl fluff, but meh. Don't worry, it'll go somewhere, I promise. I'll probably only do three to four chapters of her as a little girl before I timeskip again.**

**Till the end, ENJOY!**

* * *

October 2, 2044

Location: Aoyama cemetery, Tokyo, Japan

10:40 A.M.

The quiet of the early morning was interrupted only by the happy tromping and laughing of a tiny five year old girl. The old graveyard that was now overrun with trees and vines made the perfect play place for little Stella. While some found the place eerie and the cracked headstones creepy, for her it was her own little adventure land.

Mii watched from a little ways away as Stella went running through and around the trees, laughing like it was the greatest thing in the world. A soft smile dressed her face as she looked over at Lirio, who took hold of her hand and smiled as well, and the two followed their daughter down the old trail.

"Mommy, Daddy, watch me!" Stella called out. Mii watched as her daughter grabbed hold of a knobby tree and climbed to the lowest branch.

"Tenga cuidado, darling." Mii called out.

Stella just giggled more and waved at them. "Look it, Mommy, look it!"

Mii chuckled and looked at Lirio. "She has your climbing skills."

"I can go higher, too!" They turned when they heard Stella call out. She kicked her legs eagerly. "I can go reeeeeeaaaallly high!" She stood up on the branch and wobbled a bit, but managed to keep her balance.

Mii stood under the branch her daughter was standing on. Her first reaction would have been to stop her and get her down, but her gut instinct told her not to.

"Alright, sweetheart." Mii called up. " Vamos a ver..."

Stella's face lit up and she turned to the tree. Mii saw her examine it and knew she was looking for the best way up. Then, after a few seconds, she began to climb.

Mii watched as Stella grasped each of the branches with her tiny fingers, pulling herself up each one. She used each knot and hole as steps and lifted herself even higher.

At one point, she nearly slipped and fell, but she caught hold of the branch and pulled herself up again. Mii bit her lip when she saw her shaking.

"Stella, do you want to come down?" She called upward.

Stella looked down at her and shook her head, smiling. " No. Estoy bien." She looked back up at the branch. "I can do this..." She started up again.

Mii and Lirio watched in amazement as Stella climbed higher and higher, faster with each step, until she was sitting on the top branch. (Mii thanked the gods it was a small tree.)

Stella laughed and clapped. "Mommy, Daddy, I did it! I did it!"

Mii smiled and sighed in relief.

"That was impressive, Stella!" Lirio called up. "Can you get back down?"

Stella looked unsure for a moment, before she nodded. Slowly, lingering a bit on each branch, she descended back down the tree until she was standing, once again, on the lowest branch.

Stella laughed in delight along with her parents, and Lirio went and took her down from the branch, balancing her in his arms.

The three sat down on an old bench underneath an old trellis covered in blooming flowers, which Stella picked and began braiding into flower crowns. Mii gently took the pigtails out of her daughter's hair and began braiding it down her back, weaving the purple blossoms in between. She hummed a gentle tune while doing so, and soon felt a tap on her shoulder as Lirio pointed to Stella, who was now asleep in his lap, having abandoned the flower crown.

Mii chuckled softly and finished the braid, tying it softly with a rubber band, before she stood up and motioned for Lirio to do the same. He stood and adjusted Stella so her head was on his shoulder, and the three made their way home.

...

October 1, 2044

Location: San Francisco, CA.

6:45 P.M.

Rothcol made his way through the camp as the whistle marking the end of afternoon training blew. He had but one destination in mind, although his legs moved slowly as he walked towards it. It wasn't that he didn't want to go there, because he did, but...well, it was complicated.

Finally he arrived where he wanted to be; it was a small tent, containing not much other than a desk and some chairs. At the desk, however, he found Ekishou sitting and working, diligently and quietly.

He stood there, silent for a moment, before he finally cleared his throat. "Um..."

Ekishou looked up and smiled. "Hi Rothcol!" She sang sweetly. "Here, sit down! I hardly ever get visitors! This is so cool!"

"Um, thanks." Rothcol replied, taking a seat next to her. He took a minute to look her over and realized just how much she'd grown in the past five years. The jacket which had once been too big for her now fit her snugly and well. She no longer wore her hood pulled over her face and instead replaced it with a black French beret, and her long white hair had grown over the right side of her face, now hiding her eye patch.

"What's wrong?"

He snapped out of his trance to find her starring at him curiously. Oh god, how long had he been watching her?

"Ah, nothing!" He quickly said. "Just…uh…what are you working on?"

Her face lit up. "Oh, I'm translating some maps that Xiaoming brought me! Aren't they cool?"

Rothcol looked down at the maps. There was definitely writing on them, but he honestly couldn't make out what they were saying. To him, it just looked like very weirdly drawn stick figures of eldritch abominations.

"They're battle plans." Ekishou pointed out to him. She traced her finger around the map. "They're attacking specific places, like large cities, but more remote areas are being left alone almost completely." She sighed. "I know they're looking for something but I can't remember what. If I only knew maybe I could help them."

He looked at her. "You seem a bit…fixated on the idea that you can help them, but Ekishou, they're the enemy." He looked away. "Sorry, but the last thing we'd want to do is help them."

"…"

"What?"

"But you helped them." She said.

Rothcol's eyes widened and he looked around. "Shh!" He clenched his teeth. "No one else can know about that, remember?"

"Sorry." She mumbled. "But it was still really sweet, what you did." She sighed and leaned back. "You know, that little girl would be five years old by now."

"Yeah." He said absentmindedly.

"You should be more interested!" Ekishou scolded him. "You saved her life, after all."

"I broke the rules." He replied. "I aided the enemy."

"You still saved her life."

"Look, this has nothing to do with me!" He cried. "I'm asking you! Why do you want to help them?"

He saw her bright red eyes fill up with tears. "You should have heard them, Rothcol."

He looked puzzled. "What?"

She looked away. "I was there when the first eight were killed." She wiped the tears away. "You should have heard their screams…"

…

October 2, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

8:30 P.M

"Stella! Time for dinner!" Mii called down the hall. Instead of being greeted by the usual exited little girl dashing down the hall, nothing appeared.

"Stella?" Mii knocked on her daughter's door. "Stella, es hora de cenar."

No answer.

Mii tried the door and, upon finding it unlocked, opened it to find Stella sitting on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest.

"Stella?" Mii quickly rushed over to her and sat next to her on the bed. "Mija, qué pasa?"

Stella shook her head. "I can't find Amigo."

"You can't find him?" She asked. "Where did you last see him?"

Stella didn't answer.

"Stella?" This time, Mii sat behind her and pulled her into her lap.

"I don't want you to be angry…" She whimpered.

Mii chuckled. "Darling, when have you ever known me to get angry at you?"

"Um…" She didn't seem to have an answer to that.

Mii smiled. "Now, I promise I won't be mad at you, okay?" She stroked her baby's hair. "Now where did you last see him?"

"At the graveyard…" Stella muttered.

"When you were climbing the tree?"

She nodded.

Mii sighed. "Well, then this just gives us an excuse to go back tomorrow, doesn't it?" She brushed Stella's hair out of her face. "You think you can go one night without him?"

Stella hesitated, and then nodded. "Eso creo…I think so."

Mii chuckled and kissed her head. "Buena chica~" She patted her arm. "Now come on, dinner's ready."

…

October 2, 2044

Location: San Francisco, CA.

4:30 A.M.

The darkness of the night was illuminated by the bright lights posted around the camp, making sleep nearly impossible. Rothcol watched from a distance as Ekishou dumped a huge box of drawing supplies on her desk, all in preparation for more coloring and decoding. He sighed. Why was she such a mystery? And what was it that drew him to her?

"Bored?"

He looked up in surprise as Xiaoming sat down beside him. "Oh…not really."

"You must be, if you're talking to my sister all the time." Xiaoming replied. "You've been watching her like a hawk, Rothcol. What's going on?"

"Nothing, just…" He sighed. "It's nothing."

"Don't give me that." Xiaoming punched him in the shoulder. "Almost everyone in the camp agrees that my sister is the weirdest person here. She has the mind of an eight year old, she's clueless, she's too loud, and she sympathizes with the enemy." He shook his head. "What the hell is it you see in her, anyway?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Rothcol cried. "Seriously, she's your sister! And she's not that weird!"

He looked at him. "Standing up for her are we?"

"I-It's not like that!" He protested. "It's just…well, I just don't think it's right for you to talk about your sister like that!"

"If you knew her like I did you wouldn't say that." Xiaoming put his hands behind his head and lay back, starring up that the sky. "You ever wonder how she lost her eye?"

"Mission?"

"Nope."

"Training accident?"

"Nope."

"Misfire?"

"Nope."

"Self-harm?"

"Getting warmer…but nope."

"I give up!" Rothcol exclaimed. "What happened?"

"She poked her eye out on the corner of her desk." Xiaoming replied.

"You're kidding!"

"True shit."

"Wow…" Rothcol leaned his head on his knee. "Poor girl."

"You're not the one who had to clean it up." Xiaoming replied.

"Dude, seriously!" Rothcol exclaimed. "Stop acting like you don't care! Maybe with the other guys it's cool, but not to me!"

"Alright!" Xiaoming cried. He turned on his side. "Look, truth is, I really do worry about her, probably more often than I should." He sighed. "She gets in trouble with Marion a lot, but she doesn't really know what she's doing. I have to go in and bail her out sometimes." He sighed again. "She's still my baby sister and I love her to death, but I'm just afraid that one day she'll say the wrong thing and get us both in trouble."

Rothcol shook his head. "You really ought to have more faith in her, you know." He said. "She's not a kid anymore. How old is she; 21?"

"Mentally eight."

"To you maybe." He continued. "And another thing…" He turned and looked strait down at Xiaoming. "Ekishou's your sister, but other than that, she's the only family you have left. What she's interested in shouldn't matter if she's your family. In this world, stuff like that is hard to come by."

"Yeah…" Xiaoming smiled. "I guess."

"Hey, Xiaoming~" The two men looked up to see Ekishou running towards them. "Look what I did!"

"Huh?" He sat up, and Ekishou shoved a map in his face.

"That one line of text! I finally decoded it! After two whole weeks, too!"

"Uh…" He looked to Rothcol for help.

Rothcol smiled and made a circular gesture with his hand, encouraging him to "go with it."

"T-That's awesome, Eki." Xiaoming replied, breathing a sigh of relief at Ekishou's smile.

…

October 3, 2044

Location: Aoyama cemetery, Tokyo, Japan

10:30 A.M.

"You're sure you left him here?" Mii asked, holding onto Stella's hand as they traveled through the graveyard.

Her daughter nodded. "Yeah. I had him when we were walking this way…" Suddenly she let go on Mii's hand and ran over to the tree.

"Qué estás haciendo?" Mii called as Stella began to climb the tree.

"Retracing my steps!" She called back. "I lost him somewhere over here…"

"Do you need any help?"

"No, estoy bien!"

Mii chuckled and leaned against the tree. "Already she's so independent-" She was cut off when she heard Stella gasp.

"Stella?" She called upward. When she didn't get an answer, she grabbed hold of the branch and swung upward, bouncing from branch to branch with nimble speed until she reached the branch Stella was sitting on.

"Mija, are you alright?" She asked. Then she saw what Stella was holding.

In her hands lay a lump of torn up cloth, soaked and full of holes, with the remains of a smiley face drawn on one side. There was no mistake; this was Amigo. Or, what was left of him, anyway.

"Oh, darling…" Mii took Amigo in her hands.

Stella looked up at her teary eyed. "It's all my fault, Mommy. I left him here…"

Mii shook her head and smiled. "No, darling, it's alright. Sometimes accidents like this happen."

Stella sniffled. "But he's all torn up now."

Mii starred at Amigo for a minute, before she smiled. "Come with me, Mija." She said, beginning to climb down from the tree. "Tengo una idea."

…

Mii sat on the couch, softly humming "Greensleeves" as she continued sewing. Stella sat next to her, watching what she was doing with great curiosity. Every once in a while someone would enter the room, and upon seeing what was transpiring, simply smile and leave again.

Stella cocked her head as she watched her mother skillfully move the needle through the cloth, almost like she was painting. She couldn't see what she was doing, but she could practically feel how beautiful it was.

Finally, Mii tied off the thread and bit it, holding up the finished product to the light. "Well, I think that turned out quite nice."

"What did, Mommy?" Stella asked, leaning forward.

Mii smiled at her and handed her the toy, and watched as Stella's face lit up in delight.

"Amigo!" She cried, clutching the doll to her chest. No longer was he just a rag with a smiley face; Mii had taken the time to stuff him and sew him together, giving him arms and legs, made out of a soft, dark blue cloth. His face that had once been marker had been replaced with button eyes and a yarn smile.

Stella cuddled him close, rubbing her face against him like she'd done when she was a baby, before throwing herself towards her mother and hugging her tightly.

"Gracias, Mommy! Thank you!"

Mii smiled and stroked her daughter's hair. "De nada, darling."

Just then Lirio walked in the room, and before he could say anything, Stella jumped up and ran towards him, screaming "Daddy, daddy, look what Mommy did! Look what Mommy did!"

"Let's see…" He looked over Amigo as Stella handed it to him. He smiled and looked over at Mii. "It's beautiful. Mommy did really well." Mii smiled back at him.

"Yeah…" Stella ran back over and hugged Mii again. "Mommy's the best Mommy ever."

…

October 3, 2044

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

One could never tell what time it was on the moon, much to Virda's disadvantage. Not like that would help her now.

She fell onto her hip and coughed up blood, barfing it all over the once pristine white floor. She felt blood drip from her mouth as she spat at the white haired woman not to far away, watching all of this with glee.

"For one…I actually…thought you would tell the truth-" She puked again, violently, hurling blood everywhere. "B-But in the end…you still lied."

The woman cocked her head and giggled. She strode over smoothly, and in one fluid motion, kicked Virda right in her stomach. Or at least, in the hole where her stomach used to be. As a result, Virda gagged and vomited again, this time bits of torn up intestine mixing with the blood and bile.

Gasping, Virda tried to stand again, grasping around in the slim chance that she could reach her gun, her rapier, anything that would offer some hope of getting out of this situation, but she soon collapsed again, weak and exhausted.

"You love me~" Virda muttered in a mocking voice. Her green hair had fallen out of its pigtails and was now mixing with the blood on the floor. "I'm going to be with you forever. I'm going to meet my long lost sisters, la di da di da~" She looked up at the white haired woman. "Are you happy now, _Mother_? Now that you have my power?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, actually, I am." She grabbed Virda's hair and yanked her upward. "By the way, darling…" She held up a small pistol. "You dropped this."

Virda chuckled. "You know, I never did fully trust you…" She felt her arms and legs going slack. "Maybe it was just all those years on my own, I've learned not to trust anyone." She closed her eyes. "But there was one reason I went with you…"

"Oh really?" The woman cocked the pistol. "And what was that?"

Virda opened her eyes slightly. "Well, Mother, whatever happened…to…Father?" Despite her hazy vision, she could see her mother's face grow angry.

"That is none of your concern!" And with a bang, the woman pulled the trigger.

* * *

**And you-know-who shows her face again.**

**The "She poked her eye out on the corner of her desk" line was Omega's idea. I can be pretty sneaky; you didn't even know I was going to use that!**

**I'm bringing Ekishou into the picture more, probably as a potential love interest for Rothcol. Xiaoming needs some big brother lessons, but he should get better as time goes on.**

**Until next time, your telepathically-impaired author says...**

**GOODNIGHT!**


	11. Coincidence

**Hi again! **

**I was supposed to get this out yesterday, but I was being lazy. I don't actually have much to say this time, so...to the reviews!**

**Once again, Thank you to Omega for editing this for me! You're really awesome!**

**Lonewolf685: Yes, little Stella is quite adorable~**  
**It came to my attention that one of your questions I have neglected to answer. SILLY ME! Anyway, concerning Mii and Lirio's first daughter, Alejandra was BORN six years ago, but the two had to give her up. She DIED when she was four, and it had been two-going on-three years since she died. For the second question, if their race aged faster, they would all be dead by now. If anything, they must age slower than us, but as we see in the game, Stella grows at a normal pace through her childhood, so my theory is they don't start aging slowly until they turn 18 or 19 or somewhere around there.**

**BRSFangirl108: Aw, thank you! Tell your sis good luck on exams (We all know how horrible they can be) and you guys have fun on your trip! Yes, packing is a real bitch sometimes. To tell you the truth, I always thought my chapters were degenerating as time went on, but it makes me happy to know that they are indeed serving their purpose.**

**HARZ X: Why hello there! Good to finally hear from you! For your question...yours actually does contain spoilers. (But we all know that woman was White and yes she is a psycho.) Anyway, hope you keep enjoying the story!**

**Now, I have to say this must be my most popular Black Rock Shooter story so far. Over 32 reviews! No one has ever been so kind before! Thank you for respecting my telepathic impairment.**

**Now, ALLON ZE!**

* * *

October 9, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

8:15 A.M.

"You're sure you'll be alright while we're gone?" Mii asked, putting on her witch's hat.

Nafhe nodded and smirked. "You won't have to worry about a thing, Mii-chan! Stella and I will be good girls while you're gone." She looked down at the little black haired girl beside her. "Right, kiddo?"

"Yes Big-sis~" Stella sang.

Mii smiled. "Bueno."

Lirio pulled on his gloves and buckled his ammunition to his belt. "We won't be too far away, so if there's an emergency call us, alright?"

"I will!" Nafhe said. "But don't worry; nothing will go wrong!"

Mii nodded. "Alright..." She looked to Lirio. "Well Mi amor, shall we?"

Lirio nodded and looped his arm in hers, and the two teleported out.

Nafhe and Stella looked at each other and nodded. "Let's go." The two made a dash for Mazuma's room.

Nafhe approached it first and tried the door. "Locked."

"Big sis..." Stella muttered, looking up. She looked back and saw Nafhe fiddling with the lock. "Big sis..."

"Not now kiddo, I'm trying to pick the lock." She replied.

Stella turned around again.

"Damn..." Nafhe murmured, jiggling the door handle. "Just hang on kiddo, I've almost got it." She tried the handle again. "SHIT!"

Suddenly the handle turned and the door began to open.

Nafhe's eyes widened. "Shit! Run kid run!" She dove behind a corner. "Damn…I thought he was out on a mission!"

"Big sis, it's me!"

Nafhe looked up and saw Stella starring out at her from behind the door. The little girl ran out and knelt down in front of her. "I opened the door."

"How did you get in there?!" Nafhe asked her. Stella, in response, pointed up at the wall, where the grate had been pulled off the air duct.

Nafhe looked at her and smirked. "Well all right, kiddo!" She stood up, an evil grin on her face. "Now, lets go fishing~"

The two rushed into Mazuma's room and closed the door, and Nafhe began rummaging around under the bed. "Damn, he changed hiding places again."

"Dónde están, Big sis?" Stella asked. "You can find 'em, right?"

"Ha! You bet I can, kiddo!" Nafhe replied with a smirk. "Believe me, I've done this a thousand times, and I think this time has something to do with this loose floorboard under here!" There was a creaking noise, and Nafhe pulled herself out again, this time dragging a huge plastic box with her.

"Is that it?!" Stella cried excitedly as Nafhe opened it up.

"Yes, kiddo, this is it!" Nafhe replied. She threw the top aside. "Here are simply a few of some of the greatest movies ever made in human history…" She smirked at Stella. "And we have them right at our fingertips."

"What movie are we gonna watch?" Stella asked.

"Well, I have given that question a lot of thought, and there are several movies to choose from, but the one I found most appealing is-"

Suddenly there were footsteps from the hall, and the muttering of a very familiar voice.

Nafhe and Stella whirled around. "Shit…" Nafhe muttered before jumping to her feet and shoving the box back under the bed. "It's Mazuma! Hide kid!"

By the time Mazuma entered his room, the two were nowhere to be found. But if one looked close enough, they would have noticed the few pink hairs sticking out from under the bed, or the tiny black shadow behind the wardrobe.

Mazuma, humming a strange tune, walked over to his bed and plunked down on it, turning on his iPod and putting his headphones in.

Nafhe sighed. It would take quite a bit more to get out of here with a DVD than she thought. She wondered if she could squeeze out the back…

Suddenly she saw Stella peak out from behind the wardrobe.

"_Shit!" _She thought. She waved her hand in a "Shoo shoo" motion. _"No kid, go back inside!"_

Stella crept all the way out and got down on her hands and knees, crawling across the floor.

"_The hell? What's she…"_

When she reached the bed, Stella gave Nafhe a thumbs up. Before she could question it, she grabbed the blankets and yanked them up…

Flipping Mazuma off the bed.

Nafhe heard a thump and an "OW!" followed by several curse words, before she felt Stella pulling on her sleeve.

"Run Big sis! Correr!" The little girl called on her way out the door.

"Right behind you, kiddo!" Nafhe called back, wiggling out from under the bed.

She heard Mazuma call out "NAFHE!" from behind her, but she didn't stop, even when she heard the thumping of his boots as he chased them down the hall.

Soon the two girls came to a fork in the road, and Nafhe pushed Stella off to the right. "Split up! He can't chase us both!"

"But Big sis…"

"Ha! There you are!" The two turned and saw Mazuma at the end of the hallway, running towards them.

Nafhe shoved Stella to the right and ran to the left. "GO KID! RUN!"

Thankfully, Stella complied.

She ran as fast as her tiny legs would carry her, ducking in and out of corners and secret passageways, until she finally looked around and found herself thoroughly lost. She had forgotten how the Mother Ship could be a real tricky maze.

She whirled around as she heard a sound, but it turned out it was just a few armaments strolling by, not even paying attention to her. One of the eaters came up and sniffed her with its mechanical nose, but then it just ignored her and passed on by.

Stella wandered through the halls, trying to retrace her steps, but each hallway looked the same to her, and she dared not call out and reveal her location to Mazuma.

She had an idea. Her parents had told her to call if she had an emergency. This was definitely an emergency. Sure, she would get in trouble for breaking into Mazuma's room, but that was better than being lost!

She looked around. Just one problem; she didn't have a phone.

Discouraged, Stella sat down in a corner and sighed. She was seriously running out of options and almost wished Mazuma would find her if it meant she wouldn't be lost anymore.

Suddenly a slight breeze blew her hair. She looked up and saw, right above her, an open window leading to the outside of the Mother Ship.

Stella jumped up in joy. This could be her way out! She stood on her tiptoes and looked out.

She was on the third floor, so the ground was a long way down, but she could easily see several crevices and holds that she could use to climb her way across. She smiled. It was perfect.

Using what little arm strength she had, she hauled herself up and out the window.

…

October 8, 2044

Location: Muir Woods, San Francisco, C.A.

4:15 P.M.

"Relax, will you?!" Ekishou called back to Rothcol. "This is fun!"

"Yeah, yeah, fun~" Rothcol replied sarcastically, clutching his gun. "I'm sorry, Eki. I just don't like the forest!"

"Then why did you volunteer to come on this mission with me?" She asked him, skipping backwards through the vines.

"_Because I wanted to be close to you." _Rothcol thought but didn't say. It didn't matter, because Ekishou was already 20 feet away from him, looking at leaves.

"Eki, are you sure this is where we were supposed to patrol?!" He called after her. "It seems rather…" He looked around at the overgrown vines and winding tree branches and unkempt bushes. "Spooky."

Ekishou looked at the map. "Yep. This is the route Phobos gave me." She bounded back to him and took his hand. "Don't be scared. If we're together, nothing can harm us~"

Rothcol blushed slightly. "R-Really?"

Ekishou nodded. "Yeah. If we travel in groups, we're more intimidating!"

Rothcol tried to hide his disappointment. "Oh…right."

Ekishou held her grip on his hand and began pulling him through the forest. "Here, just take it like this; one, two, one, two…" She was counting their steps.

Suddenly a flock of birds flew out from the trees. Rothcol cried out and whirled around, firing his gun into the air, before he fell back on his rear.

Ekishou knelt down beside him. "Rothcol, are you okay?"

He startled, then calmed down when he saw it was her. "Yeah, yeah. I-I'm fine, Eki, I'm fine."

She put her hand on his arm. "You're shaking though." She sat down beside him. "You want to sit and rest for a moment."

"N-NO!" He cried. "I-If we stay still, he'll catch up with us!"

Ekishou cocked her head. "Who's he?"

Rothcol opened his mouth to reply, but instead just shook his head. "Nothing, sorry. You'll think it's stupid."

Ekishou scooted closer to him, her eyes wide.

He chuckled. "Well, when I was a kid, my parents always used to tell me about the legend of Slenderman."

Ekishou's eyes widened. "Really? What was it?"

"I'm getting to that." He replied. "So Slenderman is…actually I'm not quite sure what he is." He added. "He's a really tall pale man, in a black suit. He doesn't have any hair…or a face…and he has really long arms and tentacles."

Ekishou's face lit up. "He sounds so cool!" She cried.

"I thought that, too." He replied. "Then my mom told me that every time a child enters the forest alone at night, he takes them away to the land of the dead forever, and they can never go back home." He sighed. "I was a pretty wimpy kid, and my biggest fear was of getting lost, so the thought of not being able to go home really scared me." He shook his head. "So I just got into this habit, and I don't think I've broken it yet."

"That's okay." Ekishou replied. "There's nothing wrong with being scared." She hung her head. "I get scared sometimes, too."

Rothcol looked at her. "But you're always the one comforting us. You're…you know, the peacekeeper. What are you afraid of?"

She looked up at him. "I'm afraid of letting people down."

Rothcol cocked his head. "Letting people…well sure, some people at the camp are dicks, but you do your job really well, Eki. What are you afraid of?"

She rubbed her hands over her legs. "Do you remember the war that broke out in Asia before the aliens came here?"

Rothcol nodded. "I was pretty young, but I heard about it on the news."

"My family was involved in that." She murmured. "My mother was a soldier from Vietnam. She moved to America to finish schooling, and then she moved to China, where she met my father." She looked up. "She could honestly pass for American, though. Her hair was such a light blonde. I learned later that it was white like mine, and her eyes were blue. People thought she was from America."

Rothcol nodded slowly.

"One day…" Ekishou continued "I was home sick, because I had an ear infection, and m mom was home taking care of me, and some thugs broke into our house." She looked away. "They said they wanted money, all that we had, and my mother told me to go get the silver." She looked up at him. "That was a code, you see. She was actually telling me to go get her gun. But since I was sick…" She shook her head. "I couldn't hear well. And I couldn't move that fast, so by the time I figured out what she said and went to go get it…" Two tears dripped down her cheeks. "All I heard was a gunshot."

"I-I'm sorry, Eki." Rothcol said. "I had no idea."

"I knew I let her down." She continued. "And the aliens. When they needed help, we had the power to help them…I had the power, and I didn't." She held her head up. "That's why I try so hard. Because I don't want to let anyone else down again."

…

October 9, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

1:30 P.M.

Later, as soon as Mii and Lirio returned to the Mother ship, they knew something was up.

Maybe it was the fact that Mazuma was carrying Nafhe over his shoulder, gagged and tied up, with the latter screaming and thrashing around.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see how funny your little prank is when _you_ get the boot!" Mazuma said. He looked up and raised a hand to them. "Hey guys."

"What's going on?" Lirio asked.

"Oh, this little _imp _and her little accomplice tried to steal my DVD's again." He scowled. "What exactly have you been teaching that girl to make her so quiet?"

"Maybe she just picked it up naturally." Mii replied with a smirk. "Hablando de eso, where is she?"

"I told her…" Nafhe replied, struggling out of her bindings "To split up. I haven't seen her since…" Then, she looked out the window and screamed. "HOLY SHIT SHE'S OUT THE WINDOW!"

Mii's eyes widened. "What?" She ran to the window and covered her mouth with her hand. "Por los dioses …"

Stella was hanging from the side of the ship, obviously clutching it for dear life. She didn't move, but Mii could see her looking around, as if trying to find a way out.

Mii whirled around and glared at Mazuma. "Qué has hecho?!"

"Wha-ME?!" he cried. "She broke into my room! I chased her out! How am I in trouble?"

"It must have been bad if she felt she had to go out a window!" Mii replied. She turned to see Lirio opening the window.

"I'm gonna go out and get her." He said. "She won't be able to hang on for long."

"Tenga cuidado." Mii said worriedly.

He nodded. "I will." He slipped out the window and balanced on the ledge.

Slowly, Lirio looked around until he caught sight of Stella. He was tempted to call out to her, but was afraid the surprise would make her lose her grip. Instead, he hugged the wall and inched slowly across the outside.

Very slowly, but surely, he made his way over to Stella, until finally he called out to her. She looked up and smiled, and he could see a few tears running down her face. "Daddy!"

He bit his lip and held his hand out. "Stella, I need you to make your way over to me. Can you do that?"

She nodded, and started inching her way across the ledge towards him.

"That's it…" He assured her. "That's it. Keep going."

All of a sudden her foot slipped, and she slipped off the ledge with a scream. Luckily she managed to catch hold of the ledge, and as Lirio's heart raced, he watched her pull herself back up and crawl towards him.

Finally, she got within reaching distance of him, and he grabbed hold of her and pulled her up, hugging her against his chest. He could still feel his heart racing but not as much now that she was safe. He whispered comforting words to her as she clutched his jacket and shook with fear.

Slowly, Lirio began to inch his way back across the ledge, with Stella clinging to him all the way. Eventually, he reached the window and handed Stella to Mii, who was waiting inside, before he climbed back in himself.

Stella held onto her mother's shirt and cried "Lo siento, lo siento!" over and over, shaking and sobbing. Mii whispered comforting words to her as she stroked her hair gently, before she turned on Mazuma with an angry look in her eyes.

"Yo me encargaré de ti más tarde." She whispered to him, before she and Lirio took Stella down the hall to her room.

…

October 8, 2044

Location: Muir Woods, San Francisco, C.A.

9:30 P.M.

"Eki, I think we're lost." Rothcol groaned.

"We are not lost! I know exactly where we're going!" Ekishou replied, tromping along.

"Well, where _are_ we going?" Rothcol asked her. "Because it feels like we're walking in circles!"

"We're…um…" Ekishou looked around. "Well, we could ask someone where we are!"

"Oh yeah, that's a great idea." Rothcol said sarcastically. "Who do you wanna ask; tree number one or tree number two?" He spread his arms wide. "There's no one here, Eki! We're in the middle of nowhere."

"Well we're not the only humans left on Earth. If we keep walking, we'll find someone." She replied.

Rothcol sighed. "God or Buddha or whoever is doing this to me, I'm sorry for whatever I did to deserve it." Suddenly the two heard crashing through the trees and stopped.

"What's that?" Ekishou asked, whirling around.

"P-Probably just an animal…" Rothcol said, his teeth chattering. He looked behind him. "It's not Slenderman…Slenderman's not real…" He shut his eyes. "He's not real…" He opened them again, and his heart leapt into his throat.

It wasn't Slenderman. It was one of the aliens.

This alien was probably the largest he'd ever seen. It towered over him, encased in a giant suit of yellow armor, with muscles that could easily be seen through the metal. He began hyperventilating, and the alien just starred down at him.

Suddenly it roared, and Rothcol began to feel dizzy until he heard a female voice.

"He wants to know why you're doing that." Slowly, a pretty blonde woman in armor that looked like a Victorian style dress stepped forward.

Then Rothcol hit the ground and everything went black.

…

"Is he okay?"

Rothcol groaned and tried to open his eyes, but all he saw were three blurry shapes above him.

"He'll be fine." Another said. "I think he just needs some water."

He heard a brutish grunt, and suddenly a canteen full of water splashed him in the face. He sat up, coughing and blinking.

"Nii-san! That's not what I meant!" The voice from before said.

Rothcol looked up at the two blonde aliens and screamed, shuffling away from them.

The woman looked at Ekishou. "Is he always this jumpy?"

"He doesn't like the forest." She replied.

The woman nodded. "You two look a bit lost…"

Ekishou shook her head. "No we're not! I know exactly where we're going!"

The woman smiled. "Lying won't help you, you know. She stood. "It's better to admit your faults and accept them, in order to strive for a better future." She pointed south. "But if you're looking for civilization, I believe your settlement is back that way."

Rothcol was shaking again. "A-Are you going to hurt us?"

The woman smiled. "Well, we were ordered to dispose of any enemies that seemed a threat…" She looked back at the brute. "Nii-san?"

With little to no effort, the burly man picked up Rothcol's gun and broke it over his knee.

"And now you're not a threat." The woman added. "Well, we best be going now."

"Thank you, Miss Alien!" Ekishou called.

The woman looked back and smiled. "Please, my name is Shizu."

…

October 9, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

4:34 P.M.

Lirio walked into Stella's room to find her sitting on the bed. She looked up when she saw him, and he noticed her eyes were still watery. Before she could say anything, he walked over to her and took her hands in his.

"Stella-" He barely had a chance to say before she started crying.

"Lo siento, Daddy. I won't do it again, I promise! Prometo…" She wiped her eyes.

He sighed and sat next to her on the bed. "Stella, I was going to tell you never to do it again, but not because I'm mad at you."

She looked up at him. "You're not?"

"No…" He pulled her into his lap. "It's because I was worried about you." He kissed her head. "What you did today was very dangerous. Your mother and I wouldn't know what to do if we lost you."

"I'm sorry…" Stella cried into his chest.

Lirio chuckled. "Next time, when you decide to steal Mazuma's DVD's, don't hide out the window." He smiled down at her. "And yes, I know there will be a next time."

Stella sniffed and giggled, right as Mii entered the room.

Her mother smiled and crossed her arms. "Pues?"

Lirio smiled at the little girl in his lap. "I gave her a good scolding…"

"Yeah right~" Mii walked over and sat next to them, and Stella stretched out so she was on both Mii and Lirio's laps. Mii chuckled and ran her fingers though her daughter's hair, just as they heard a knock at the door and Zaha walked in.

Stella jumped up. "Hi Grandpa Zaha!" She said.

He chuckled. "Quite the stunt you pulled today, Stella." He pulled up a chair and sat down in front of them. "You were very brave."

"But Daddy was still braver." She replied, looking up at Lirio.

"Pero eso no significa que usted no está." Mii pitched in.

"Stella," Zaha began "You know about your parents' job, right?"

Stella nodded. "They go out on missions and patrols and they fight and do all sorts of cool stuff!"

"That's right…" Zaha continued "Well then, I just had a very interesting idea." He leaned forward. "Stella, would you like to be an Apostle?"

Stella's face lit up and she nodded. "When?"

"Well, you have to train for a very long time first…" He looked up at her parents. "Which brings me to my point. I want to begin Stella's training. Immediately."

* * *

**And there we go! Stella will start training to be a real Apostle.**

**Once again, thanks for the massive in-flux of reviews I've been getting, and keep it up! I will not be so lazy with future chapters; in fact I'll get started on the next one right now!**

**BYE!**


	12. Dicipline

**Hi.**

**My eyes hurt. **

**So does my head.**

**And my arm.**

**And THIS is all I have to show for it.**

**THIS. IS. FRIGGEN. NOTHING.**

**I seriously feel like this is just a filler chapter to provide a bit of buffer for the dramatic climax coming up (next chappy, guys.) This one picks up RIGHT where the other one left off, when Zaha tells them Stella must start training.**

**REVIEWS!**

**Thank again, Omega, for being a wonderful editor and editing this for me.**

**Lonewolf685: You do exactly the opposite I do; I skip the fights and focus only on the cut scenes. And, even after all that, I STILL don't know what I neblade consists of. Mazuma was completely devoured, but that might have just been Kali getting exited. Anyway, here, we're just gonna stick with "they eat your soul." I think we can all agree on that."**

**RYNO IV: I do actually see this as an alternate storyline. I wish this would have been added into the original game, but I guess they just never thought of it. *Sigh* Oh well. Glad to see you still remember the summery. Right now that's a spoiler but I can answer your second question; yes, Nana will show up. And because I hate her, she will be a bitch.**

**That is all.**

* * *

October 9, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

4:40 P.M.

"I-Immediately?" Mii asked Zaha. "Sir, this is very sudden."

Zaha shook his head. "I see no reason to wait. What happened today has proven that Stella has the coordination and stamina needed for training."

Lirio's jaw tightened. "Stella, would you go outside for a minute? We need to talk to Grandpa Zaha in private."

Stella didn't argue as she stood up and left the room, glancing back once nervously before closing the door behind her.

Mii looked at Zaha. "No se puede ser serio. Not already."

Zaha shook his head. "Stella needs to learn to start pulling her own weight. Just because she's your daughter, that doesn't mean she gets a free ride."

"But she's only five!" Mii protested!

"I began training the minute I learned to walk." Zaha replied. "I see no reason why she can't begin now." He looked at their worried faces and sighed. "And, just to make you feel better, I'll let you oversee Stella's training."

Lirio relaxed a bit. "_We_ can train her?"

Zaha nodded. "Ultimately, the decision on _how_ is completely up to you two." He said. "But I do want her to start her training. And this is non-negotiable."

Lirio sighed. "Is that all?"

Zaha nodded.

Mii's eyes narrowed. "You'll leave ALL training to us, correct?"

Zaha nodded.

Mii sighed. "Well, I guess the choice has been made, then."

"Very good." Zaha said, standing up. "I'll leave you, now. I imagine you'll want to tell Stella the news."

…

Mii stood in the doorway to Stella's room, watching her sleep. Even now, she still looked so tiny when curled up on her side, asleep. Even now, Mii still remembered when her bed was a crib and not a "big girl bed." Even now, she still made little squeaking noises as she slept, almost to faint too detect, but Mii could hear.

She clutched her robe and leaned against the doorway, sighing. She felt someone's arm wrap around her, but didn't have to look to see who it was.

"No la podíamos aferrarnos de ella para siempre." She said, looking back at Lirio. He wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her back against him.

"It doesn't mean we have to let her go just yet." He said.

Mii chuckled. "Nosotros vamos a entrenarla." She looked back at her daughter. "But this is the last thing I wanted for her. I don't want her to be an Apostle." She looked down. "I don't want her to break." She sighed. "That amount of fighting and bloodshed will change her. It changed us." Mii looked at Lirio. "When she comes out of it, she'll be different from who she is now."

…

October 9, 2044

Location: San Francisco, C.A.

6:00 A.M.

Rothcol leaned on his elbow and sighed. Scouting missions could be so boring sometimes.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Xiaoming smirking at him. "I brought some cards. You up for a quick game of BS?"

Rothcol sighed and shrugged. "Fine."

Xiaoming sat in front of him and dealt the cards. "So…what's going on with you and Eki?"

Rothcol groaned. "Not this again. Xiao, I told you, nothing's going on between us."

"Don't gimme that. You're always the first one to volunteer to go on a mission together."

"It's fun. She's always so optimistic, so it adds a lighter mood." Rothcol replied.

"B.S." Xiaoming said.

"It's true!"

"No, I'm talking about your card." He pointed to the pile.

Rothcol chuckled and picked up the stack. "Ok, you got me there."

Xiaoming smirked.

The two continued playing quietly until Xiaoming said "I call being best man at your wedding."

Rothcol growled. "For the last time, NOTHING'S GOING ON BETWEEN US!"

"And for the last time, I'm not buying it." Xiaoming replied, putting down another card. "You know, she's got candy eyes for you, too."

Rothcol remained silent.

"Ro, it's your turn…" He said.

"Really?"

"Well yeah, I went so now it's your turn."

"No I mean…" He looked hopeful. "You really think she likes me?"

Xiaoming shrugged. "Well there's no point in telling you if you're not interested, is there?"

"Dammit Xiao!" Rothcol growled.

He smirked. "If you were to admit it, however, I just might tell you what I saw."

Rothcol shook his head. "You drive a hard bargain, Xiao." He sighed. "Alright…so maybe, possibly, I do have some slight romantic feelings for Ekishou-"

"Haaa, I knew it!" Xiaoming cried like a teenage girl.

"Shhh!" Rothcol hissed. "I just said possibly!" He leaned back. "Now, what did she say about me?"

"Well, she didn't say it so much as write it Xiaoming leaned forward. "I read her diary."

"You are an _ass_!" Rothcol said with a laugh. "You read your little sister's private thoughts?"

"You wanna hear 'em or not?"

"Yes I wanna hear them!"

"Okay…" Xiaoming said "So apparently, she had a dream where you kissed her."

Rothcol sighed. "Xiaoming, that doesn't mean much."

Xiaoming shrugged. "What are you talking about?"

"I once had a dream I was married to the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man. Does that mean I would do that in real life? No." Rothcol shook his head. "Dreams are weird."

"Yeah…" Xiaoming smirked. "But she wrote that she wished it had been real."

…

October 10, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

8:00 A.M.

Early the next morning, Lirio opened the door to the weapons room, Stella close on his heels. The little girl was giddy as if she had eaten a bag full of sugar, but managed to keep her bouncing to a minimum as she followed her father through the vault.

"Daddy…" She asked, looking around "Por qué estamos aquí?"

"We're in here because I'm going to give you a very special present today." Lirio replied. He turned around. "Stay here for a moment. I'll be right back." In response, Stella sat cross legged on the floor and watched as he disappeared into the back of the room.

When Lirio returned, Stella could see he carried with him a long, black stick. He knelt in front of her, and with one fluid motion, pulled a pitch black sword from the sheath.

He held it out to her. "Be careful, the edges are sharp."

Instead of reaching out, Stella shrank back away from the blade. "B-But…I don't think I can."

Lirio placed the sword in his own lap and patted his daughter's head gently. "There's nothing to be afraid of. The sword won't hurt you." He held it out again. "A sword will only do what its master directs."

Stella hesitated again, then very slowly picked up the blade and placed it in her own lap. She ran her finger over the flat side of the blade and looked up. "What are all these markings?"

"That…" Lirio replied "Is the sword name." He pointed to each of the symbols, running his finger over the blade. "It says 'Black Blade.'"

"Black Blade…" Stella repeated, transfixed on the silver lettering. She looked up again. "Am I going to train with it?"

"Soon." Lirio replied. "But for now we'll start you off with something simple." He stood, picked up a cloth and a bucket of thin wax, and placed it next to her on the ground. "Today, you're going to clean it."

He saw Stella relax and chuckled as she picked up the rag. "Cómo?"

"That's for you to decide." He replied. "It's your sword; you must know its likes and dislikes." He went and sat down on a bench a few feet away from her. "I'll be here."

He watched as Stella looked at the blade for a moment, before she took the rag and began gently rubbing the blade.

The hours passed. As time went on, Lirio saw her change her cleaning technique, rubbing with the grain instead of back and forth. When she finally dipped the rag into the wax, she only brought out a very small amount and continued cleaning.

Finally, at noon, Lirio stood up. "That's enough for today."

Stella looked up at him in surprise, like he had woken her from a daze. She rubbed the sword once, and then handed it back to her father, who sheathed it and placed back on the wall.

As the two left the weapon room, Lirio noticed Stella looking back at the blade, like it was calling to her.

…

"When I was about your age, my parents stressed the importance of learning to play a musical instrument." Mii said as Stella followed her down the stairs. "They used to tell me that the music and the battle techniques are very similar; both teach stability and flow." She looked back at her daughter. "Por eso, cuando yo tenía tu edad, I began to learn how to play the piano."

Mii turned on the light in the room. In the center of the tiny room, there stood a small, black piano. It was dusty, but even under the dust Stella could see the shine of the keys.

She approached the piano and touched one of the keys, listening to the sound it made. She touched another and held it down, before she heaved herself up onto the bench and touched several of the keys all in a row.

Mii smiled and sat in a chair a few feet away from Stella, just as Stella noticed the several music books a few inches away. She began to reach for one, but Mii stopped her.

"Todo a su tiempo, little one." She smiled. "Right now, just play from your heart."

Stella looked up in curiosity. "What should I play?"

"Whatever you like."

Stella starred down at the keys. She pressed each one over and over, and Mii could tell she was listening to each one, taking in the sound and analyzing it. Finally, she closed her eyes, and let her fingers dance over the keys.

The melody she played was very simple and slow, but it picked up as she went on. The sweet tinkling of the keys filled the ears and hearts of both mother and daughter, and Mii felt a smile stretch across her face, followed by the warm, salty feel of tears down her cheeks, which she quickly wiped away.

The melody itself was a bit choppy; it sounded like she was still getting used to the keys. She played some twice and others more, some she skipped over, but the choppy inexperience only added to the beauty of the tune.

Stella wasn't even looking at the keys. She didn't need to; it was like the melody played itself. She slowed down again; they key sounds soft and quiet and lingering; creating a heavy feel of what almost seemed like sadness but bliss at the same time. Stella timed her breath with each keystroke, her fingers drifting over each one like she was touching air.

The keys suddenly felt heavy with a weight she didn't recognize, and she slowed even more to find tears dripping onto her hands, before she stopped all together as she broke out in silent sobs.

She continued to cry as Mii sat beside her and took her into her arms, whispering comforting words to her. "Now darling, why are you crying? It was such a lovely song. Lo hiciste muy bien."

"It…" Stella could barely find her voice. "It feels sad." She buried her face in her mother's chest. "It feels so sad, like it's lonely."

Mii smiled and took her daughter's face in her hands. "That's how it's supposed to feel, darling." She said. "I think your going to be very good at this. You've already found the song's flow."

…

Stella had been training for over a month. Every day, she would follow her father into the weapons room, where she would sit with a cloth and clean her blade, as well as other weapons, some her father had said would be hers one day, some not but she was told it would be good to get the feel for them, in case she ever needed to use them. At noon they would break for lunch, and then she would follow her mother into the tiny room in the basement, where she would play whatever tune popped into her mind on the precious piano.

And she liked this. Really she had feared that her training was going to be rushed and intense, but the slow route they were taking seemed to suit her just fine. She liked it.

Until Zaha found out.

Her parents had told her to leave the room, but she stayed outside with her ear pressed against the door in order to hear their conversation.

"When I said I wanted you to train her…" She heard Zaha say "I meant I wanted her to train, not do chores!"

"Sir, le aseguro, this is all part of her training." She heard her mother's calm voice reply.

"Then tell me, Mii," Zaha continued. "How exactly will polishing swords and playing piano help her in future battles?"

"I think you'll be surprised by the outcome, sir." Lirio replied. "Patience is a virtue that must be taught early on."

"Yes, but even so-"

"And you did say we could oversee her training, did you not?" Mii added. "How we train our daughter should be _our_ business. Don't you agree Mi amor?" Stella didn't hear Lirio reply, but she assumed he nodded in agreement, because the conversation continued.

Zaha sighed. "Fine. Continue with what you're doing." She heard him approach the door. "Though I highly doubt she'll become an Apostle if you don't even teach her battle training."

Stella didn't have time to feel hurt, as she had to dive out of the way as the door opened and Zaha walked out, not paying attention to her.

As Stella sat there, she thought "_Will I never become an Apostle, after all?"_

…

Stella knew that, if she was depressed, she would never be able to hide it from her parents. They knew her too well.

So the only logical thing would be to tell them outright what was bothering her.

They comforted her like they normally did when something upset her; by sitting her down in one of their laps (this time it was Mii's) in front of the living room fireplace. It wasn't a real fireplace; one of those gas ones you turned on with a switch, but its warmth provided much comfort for little Stella.

"Stella, you have to remember…" Mii assured her "Todavía eres muy joven, and you're at the beginning of your training."

"Neither of us actually started any kind of fight training until we were twice your age." Lirio added.

"But Zaha said-"

Mii held her hand up. "Zaha has his own expectations; it doesn't mean you have to meet them." She smiled. "That was just the way he was raised, and he doesn't realize it might not be what's best for you."

Stella nodded. "Will my training change?"

"Eventually." Lirio replied "When you become older and stronger, you'll start to learn harder and more complicated things." He scooted closer and patted her head. "But for now, let's just stick to what we have."

"Hablando de eso …" Mii added with a sly smile "Would you like to show your father what you've learned on the piano?"

Stella's eyes widened, but when her mother gave her an encouraging nod, she said "Okay…" and stood up.

The tree retreated into the basement, and Stella sat down at the piano bench as her parents stood by and watched.

Stella took a deep breath and placed her tiny fingers over the keys. She seemed puzzled at first, then closed her eyes and began to play.

The music started out slow and sweet. It was soothing and tranquil, almost in time with the breath of those listening, before it began to speed up ever so slightly. The sweet music filled the tiny room, and suddenly everyone inside was entranced by it, weather they realized it or not.

Time slowed down, and the only thing that existed was the sweet music from the piano. The notes seemed to sing; laughing and crying all at the same time, joyous and grieving, voices of dryads and nymphs, screaming and whispering all in one. Faintly, if concentrated on, a slight breeze could be felt, and freshly blooming flowers could be smelled.

Finally, Stella's hand movements slowed and stopped gracefully, and an empty silence filled the room where the music had once been. Stella looked to her father, and saw a warm smile on his face as he knelt beside her.

"It was beautiful, Stella." He said. "I'm very proud of you; it was amazing."

"You really like it?" She asked as he picked her up.

"I do. It was beautiful." He replied.

"She's been focusing on that one for a while now." Mii said.

"Quería hacerlo perfecto." Stella added. "I even thought of a name for it!"

"Oh?" Mii asked her. "And what is it?"

Stella smiled. "It's called 'Mi Hija.'"

* * *

**I added a bit in there about her inexperience at playing piano. It's more believable, now.**

**Ok...next chapter will be a major climax. It will probably be long, and don't be surprised if it takes up two chappys. Other than that, it's very late, so I'm gonna go to bed.**

**Goodnight.**


	13. Abduction

**Hi. It's 12:00 in the morning, so I'm gonna make this snappy.**

**I decided to split this chapter into 2 parts, since putting it all together was just overwhelming and would have delayed update time. This and the next chapter will be the "season finale" of sorts, and after that will be another time skip.**

**Reviews:**

**Thanks again, Omega, for reviewing this for me.**

**Lonewolf685: I actually got the idea from my brother as I was forcing him to do his piano practice. And in answer to your question, Stella will probably get an Apostle variant of the cannon. Think of the Rock Cannon we saw in the OVA; The one that can also turn into a blade. Yeah, that one.**

**BRSFangilr109: Good to see you're back! You've survived exams, my dear friend, congratulations! Don't stress too much, I have worked out a schedule for this, so updates will come every 2-3 days. As for your questions: Right now there's still a lot of tension between the humans an aliens, so no peace as of yet. Think of this like Accutane; things will get worse before they get better.**

**BRSFangirl108: Hello hello you! Still haven't defeated packing I see. Don't worry, I have trouble too. Especially when I keep getting distracted by my phone. I would say stop reviewing so early in the morning, but...here I am posting a new chapter at midnight, so I'm not exactly what you'd call a roll model. Anyway, for YOUR question: Yes, Nafhe and Stella will have lots of Big sis-little sis moments together. As for what made me think that Zaha was Nafhe's father, I'M VERY GLAD YOU ASKED!**

**In the actual game itself, there are several cut scenes where Nafhe and Zaha are scene talking to each other. There relationship seemed typical of an overprotective father and a bratty preteen daughter. But what REALLY sealed the deal was when Zaha was trying to discourage Nafhe from fighting Stella and says "I can't afford to lose you." That basically convinced me that he was very close to her, so I got it into my head that he was her father, and the idea stuck.**

**To all of you: Thank you so much for showing so much interest in this story. I always look forward to feedback from all my reviewers and seeing how much you like this makes me so happy. There will be much more cutesy scenes, passionate romance, comedy, and White-cameos coming up!**

* * *

November 15, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

5:30 A.M.

Nafhe was awoken by loud crashing and banging coming from the hallway outside her room. At first, she thought that maybe Stella had tripped on something and gotten hurt, until she heard the bathroom door-_HER BATHROOM DOOR_-slam shut, and the shower turn on.

Growling, she dragged herself out of bed and marched her way down about…two steps away from her room and pounded on the door.

The shower turned off and she heard Mazuma's voice scream "Yeah, what do you want?!"

"Why are you using my shower?" Nafhe demanded.

"Mine is broken and Lirio won't let me use his!" Mazuma shouted back.

"What about Shizu and Kali's?"

"You're kidding, right?" The water turned back on.

Nafhe sighed. "Fine, fine. Just do whatever you want." She trudged back to her room, closed the door, and crawled back into bed. It was too early in the morning for this, anyway. Slowly, she felt herself drifting back to sleep…

"I HEAR THOSE ICE CREAM BELLS AND I START TO DROOL!"

She was jolted awake by a loud voice. Startled, she flailed around, looking for her alarm clock.

"I KEEP A COUPLE TUBS IN MY LOCKER AT SCHOOL!"

Her hand slapped the button.

"BUT CHOCOLATE'S GETTING OLD; VANILLA JUST LEAVES ME COLD!

THERE'S JUST ONE FLAVOR GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, YEAH ME!"

She hit the button again, and again.

"DON'T GIMMIE NO CRUMMY TASTESPOON, I KNOW WHAT I NEED."

She fell out of bed and pulled the cord out of the wall.

"SINGING; I LOVE ROCKEY ROAD!

HOW MUCH YOU GONNA BUY? HALF A GALLON BABY!

I LOVE ROCKEY ROAD!

SO HAVE ANOTHER TRIPLE SCOOP WITH ME!"

Nafhe pulled her self out from under her covers and her eyes narrowed. "Mazuma." She stood up and stomped back over to the bathroom, banging on the door and cutting off Mazuma mid-note.

"WHAT?!" She heard him yell. "I'm busy!"

"Stop singing!" She shouted. "I can hear you from my room!"

"Put in ear plugs!"

"Ear plugs give me headaches!" She sighed. "Can't you just shower quietly like a normal person?"

"No way, kid!" He replied. "Two things get to be free when I'm in the shower; my balls and my soul!"

Nafhe groaned. "I totally did not need to know that!"

"Too bad!" Mazuma replied, and went back to singing.

Nafhe sighed. "I guess that means it's time to get up." She went back to her room to get dressed.

…

When Nafhe walked into the kitchen that morning, she glared at Mazuma fiercely.

Mii immediately noticed. "Que paso?"

Nafhe pointed to him. "Using my shower. Five in the morning. Singing loud enough to wake a hibernating bear. That's deaf."

"I told you…" Mazuma said, swallowing the rest of his p[op tart "My shower was broken. I had to use yours. And the singing is just second nature."

"Yeah, well, it's weird and it's annoying, so don't do it." She crossed her arms. "And don't use my shower without asking, either."

"If I'd asked you, you would have complained about me waking you up at five in the morning!"

"At least I would have had advanced warning!"

As Mazuma was about to voice a reply, Stella came running in and latched on to Nafhe's legs.

"He Big sis!" She cried. "You said you'd take me to the park today, right?"

Nafhe's eyes widened. "Yeah…That's right, I did, didn't I?" She patted the little girl on her head. "Lemme just get dressed and we can go."

"Not without breakfast~" Mii said with a smirk. In response, Stella sat down at the table and Mii placed a bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Thank you, Mommy~" Stella said, before digging in.

Mii kissed her daughter's head softly. "Be careful out there with Nafhe, today."

"I will!"

…

November 15, 2044

Location: Koishikawa Korakuen, Tokyo, Japan.

11:00 A.M.

"Five, four, three, two, one, ready or not, here I come!" Nafhe called. She turned away from the tree she was facing and looked around. "Now where are you, you little bugger?"

Nafhe pushed her way through the thick branches and bushes, making her way down the overgrown path. She heard a noise from behind a rock and smirked. She snuck around to the back and pulled aside the brush…

To find a squirrel munching on a leaf.

She huffed and continued searching.

After twenty minutes and three more failed attempts, Nafhe put her hands on her hips and shouted "Alright kiddo, I give up. You can come out now."

No answer.

"Kiddo?"

Nothing.

"Stella?" She took a few steps forward, worried. "Stella?"

Then she heard a scream, and her heart leapt into her throat as she began to run.

"Oh gods oh gods oh gods…" She whispered as she sprinted down the path. "Hang on kiddo, I'm com-OOF!"

She felt her arm being yanked forcefully to the side, right as a large, sweaty hand held her in a tight body lock and covered her mouth. Nafhe struggled and tried to scream, but the person's hold was much to tight.

"Oi, boss!" The… man cried in an Australian accent. "We got another one!"

"Bring her over!" Another man with an accent called. The man holding Nafhe lifted her off the ground and, despite her kicking and squealing, managed to carry her over with ease.

Finally, he dropped her, roughly, back onto the ground. She landed on all fours next to a terrified Stella, who was holding Amigo and crying softly.

Nafhe stood up and saw they were surrounded by several big, burly human men in black leather jackets. They each carried various weapons that looked like they would be used for wild dog hunting, like whips, clubs and spiked objects.

Nafhe tried her hardest to make herself look bigger and intimidating, which was very hard seeing as she was a good two feet shorter than the smallest man there.

"I'm warning you!" She shouted at them. "You have no idea what you're dealing with!"

"Oh, I think we do, princess~" One of them, a big man with a buzz cut, replied. He walked up to her and pushed her back onto the ground, then grabbed her by her hair and forced her to look up into his eyes, which were hidden by a pair of mirror sunglasses.

"It's not everyday you run into the conquerors of earth." He said. "Especially ones this…fresh." He licked his lips. "You two'll fetch a pretty price on the black market, yes you will."

Nafhe's eyes widened. "You're gonna sell us?"

Another man laughed. "You've been living under a rock, girlie! You have any idea how much a soldier or sailor will pay for a good whore?!"

The man holding her hair chuckled. "Remember princess, these are people who haven't gotten any _action_ for quite a while."

"Alright…" Nafhe continued, forcing her voice to stay steady. "But what about her?" She pointed at Stella. "She's only six, you can't possible be thinking of selling her!"

"That we are though, sweetheart." The man replied. "They younger they are, the faster they go and the more money they're worth~"

"Yeah well, you don't get good things without fighting for them!" Nafhe shouted, and she reached up and dug her sharp nails into the man's skin. He didn't cry out, but he loosened his grip just enough for her to twist out of it.

"STELLA RUN!" She shouted. Then she whistled. "CHIBI!"

Stella stood and pushed through one of the men's legs, tearing down the path as one of Nafhe's bunny droids showed up.

Right as Nafhe was about to jump onto the robot's head, she felt a sharp, electrical jolt run up her back and instantly recognized it as a taser. She fell to the ground just in time to see two of the men dragging Stella back to the group, and then everything went black.

The Chibi flew away, having recorded everything on the hidden camera built in.

…

November 14, 2044

Location: San Francisco, C.A.

6:00 P.M.

Rothcol stood in the doorway of Ekishou's tent, watching her sort through piles of paper. He quietly cleared his throat, and Ekishou looked up and smiled.

"Hi Rothcol!" She sang happily. "What's up?"

"I…uh…" Rothcol held up a tray of food. "I brought you some dinner."

"Oh…" Ekishou looked around and pushed aside some papers, making space on the desk. "You can put it right here, thanks." Rothcol set the food down and sat down.

"I was worried, since you were missing dinner so much." Rothcol said. "I worried you weren't eating."

"Well," Ekishou replied "I guess that's how I stay so thin~" She smiled at him.

"Well, yeah, but you should still eat something." He picked up a piece of bread and dipped it in gravy. "Here; the bread tastes awesome like this."

Ekishou looked at him, took the bread, and took a big bite out of it. She chewed for a minute, and then smiled. "It does."

She ate the bread in silence for a moment, before Rothcol said "The rest of the food tastes like horse shit, but they make good gravy."

"Maybe that's where all the flavor went." Ekishou replied. She finished a bit of the meal and stood up. "It's a full moon out tonight, I'm gonna go for a walk." She held her hand out to him. "Care to join me?"

"I…" Rothcol stuttered. "I…have to finish some things for Marion."

"Oh…" He could hear the disappointment in Ekishou's voice. "Okay then." She was prepared to leave before he stopped her.

"Eki, wait."

She turned around again, and as she did he pulled her into a hug.

"Uh…" She laughed slightly. "W-What's this for?"

"I…just felt like it." He replied. He let her go and smiled, patting her shoulder. "Well, goodnight." He left the tent.

Ekishou starred after him for a moment, before slowly trudging out the back door of the tent, her hands clasped against her chest. She walked slowly out past the guards on watch, who starred at her strangely, and out into the streets, walking aimlessly.

She had never had a boyfriend before, so the whole concept of liking and loving someone in _that way_ was completely new to her. She was never sure how exactly to act around Rothcol, or if he found her antics cute or just annoying. She tried earnestly to be herself in hopes that Rothcol would like her, but more than anything she wanted to be perfect for him.

She stopped and sighed. She was now a decent way out of camp, and it was getting dark. She should get back before-

She didn't have time to finish her thought before a large, meaty hand clamped over her mouth and the electric shock of a taser bolted up her spine. She was paralyzed in an instant, just staying conscious long enough to see three burly men dragging her away, before the world went black.

…

November 14, 2044

Location: UNKOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

Nafhe awoke in a dark room, with her hands and legs tied and a gag in her mouth. Through the wall, she could hear someone faintly saying "We'll rendezvous with team two in Gilroy. That's where the next auction will be held. Make sure the girls don't give you any trouble."

Nafhe shuffled around and felt her foot hit something soft. It twitched and squeaked, then made a muffled cry, and looking around Nafhe could see a pair of big blue eyes in the dark.

"_Thank the gods."_ She thought. _"Stella is safe."_

Then she looked around.

"_Who the hell am I kidding? Stella's not safe! Hell, I'm not safe!"_

She twisted around and nodded to the little girl, trying to look confident from behind her gag and ropes.

"_I guess the only thing to do is wait."_

They were kept like that for a few more hours, and Nafhe had fallen asleep before she felt a jolt, and she guessed whatever they were being transported in had landed. A door was opened and someone else was thrown inside, landing hard on her side. Ironically, her hands were not bound.

Nafhe saw the girl sit up and brush aside her long, white hair. She looked to be a bit older, and she was clearly an albino. Under her long bangs, in the dim light of the cargo hold, Nafhe could see and eye patch over her right eye.

The girl looked at Nafhe and Stella and her eyes widened. She went to Stella first, fumbling with the ropes before she managed to untie them, and removing the gag from her mouth. Stella whimpered and sat up hesitantly, before she pointed at Nafhe. Before she'd even said a word, the girl untied Nafhe and removed her gag.

Nafhe spat and gagged. "Holy hell, that tasted awful!" She looked up. "Why'd you untie me?"

The girl looked confused. "You…looked like you needed help."

"Yeah, well, I did." Nafhe replied, sitting up. "Don't rub it in my face."

The three were silent for a moment, before the girl held out her hand. "I'm…Ekishou." She said. "Ekishou Lee."

Nafhe starred at her hand for a moment and shook it. "I'm Nafhe."

Ekishou immediately stiffened up. "Y-You're one of the aliens?"

"Yeah." Nafhe replied. "I'm not gonna eat your soul, although I could." She lay down. "That taser shock made me wanna puke up my guts."

"Ah…" Ekishou stuttered. "No no, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Uh…" She looked defeated. "Nothing."

A few minutes passed in silence, before Ekishou felt something on her legs and looked down to see the little girl in her lap.

She reached up and took a handful of Ekishou's hair. "You're hair's so pretty!"

"Why…thank you." Ekishou replied. "I always thought it looked a bit weird-"

"Stella, are you bothering her?" Nafhe called.

"No, it's okay." Ekishou replied. "She's fine."

Nafhe grunted.

Stella curled up in Ekishou's lap and stiffened up.

"Big sis!" She cried. "I can't find Amigo!"

"You probably dropped him when they took us." Nafhe said, sitting up.

Stella sniffled. "Can they go back and get him?"

"I highly doubt they're going to turn this plane around." Nafhe replied.

Stella sniffled again, and Ekishou, feeling pity on the little girl, handed her her beret. "Here." She set it on Stella's head. "I know it's not Amigo…but it is very special to me."

Stella managed to smile, if only a little. "Thank you, Miss Eki."

Ekishou turned to Nafhe. "Where are we heading?"

"I heard them say something about Gilroy." She replied. "There's some sort of auction there."

"Auction selling what?"

"Selling _us_." Nafhe turned over on her stomach. "We're gonna be sold into prostitution, honey. We stand out here in some skin tight hussy outfit, and the perverts all crowd around and look at who'll be the best in bed, and then they sell us off to whoever will buy us." She laid her head on her arms. "Believe me, honey. My dad's shut down enough brothels to know what goes on behind the scenes."

Stella whimpered and curled up in a ball in Ekishou's lap. "I'm scared." She sniffled. "I wanna go home. I want my Mommy."

…

November 15, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

5:45 P.M.

Mii paced up and down the living room, one hand pressed to her face. "Dónde están? They should have been home by now."

Lirio put down the phone and sighed. "Nafhe's not answering her cell phone."

Mii sat down on the couch and sighed, putting her head in her hands. "They probably just…lost track of time." She said with a shaky smile. "They're just having so much fun playing, that they lost track of time." She laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. "Eso debe ser."

"Guys," Shizu came rushing into the living room. "One of Nafhe's droids just came back."

"So?" Lirio asked.

"Nafhe's not on it."

"What?" Mii stood up, terrified. "¿Qué ha pasado? ¿Ha pasado algo? ¿Dónde está Stella?

Shizu wrung her hands. "I-It came back with some video footage, apparently Nafhe called it there on emergency…"

"Shizu what happened?!" Lirio demanded.

Shizu looked down, obviously distressed.

"Shizu?" Mii stepped forward. "Where. Is. My. Child?"

…

November 15, 2044

Location: Euthanasia Brothel, Gilroy

12:45 A.M.

The three girls were shoved out of the back of the truck, their hands tied, and marched down a dark alleyway toward a lit door. Since their arrival at the old Santa Cruz airport, more girls had joined them. A lot of them looked fairly young, many around Stella's age or just above, a few as old as Nafhe and Ekishou. Stella stayed close between Nafhe and Ekishou, holding Nafhe's hand.

"Get a move on!" A man from the back called out. A whip cracked, and a few girls screamed, but Nafhe pushed her two comrades forward.

"Don't stop." She told them. "Whatever you do, don't stop."

They got closer and closer to the door, and many of the girls began to hesitate, which lead to more thrashings.

Then, in an instant, the doors opened, a light flooded their eyes, and they were pushed inside.

The three girls held onto each other as best they could as they wormed their way through the crowed. The room was very crowded and glowed with a strange orange light, and the air smelled of whiskey and other…indescribable things. The crowed consisted of several scary looking, older men and women; men with bald heads and tattoos, women with flashy florescent hair and piercings, men with bagel foreheads, women with snaked tongues, people with blacked out eyes, and some that the three actually couldn't differentiate between man or woman.

One woman with black, cat like fingernails, bright green hair and many, many, many piercings sneered at them, then opened her mouth, held up two fingers, and stuck her snake-like tongue between them. One man grabbed Ekishou's hair and ran his greasy fingers through it, while another came up behind Nafhe and pretended to lead the girls along as he grabbed her backside. She growled and backed up, stepping on his foot, and they managed to get away from him.

As they were finally led to a dark corner with another door the girls were disappearing into, Nafhe and Ekishou turned back and surveyed the crowd one last time.

"Where are we?" Ekishou asked her.

Nafhe looked at her with solemn eyes. "Hell."

* * *

**I got pretty risque with this chapter.**

**The song at the begining was "I love Rockey Road." A song by Weird Al Yankovic. It's so hilarious it's one of my favorites!**  
**Part two will be coming in 2-3 days. Expect nightmares to ensue. **

**GOODNIGHT!**


	14. Euthanasia

**Hi again.**

**I know I said 2-3 days and it's been six, but I had a good reason. What? You don't believe me? How about this?**

**My cousin was just hit by a car and is now in the hospital.**

**Seriously, I have been stressed. She was the victim of a hit-and-run, so the son-of-a-bitch didn't even stop the car. Right now she's in the hospital with broken bones galore, and we're waiting for the doctors to see if she'll be alright. So I think it'd make her happy if you all sent her some happy thoughts for when she gets better. I will also be dedicating this chapter to her. It will be rather depressing, so it may not be as much of a present as I thought, but what the hell, it's the thought that counts.**

**Lonewolf685: Sorry to keep you waiting. All your questions shall be answered here. Enjoy!**

**RYNO IV: Thanks for your review! Again sorry for the long wait. I actually used your "you can find assholes anywhere" line in here, so keep an eye out for it!**

**Once again, so sorry, and enjoy!**

* * *

November 16, 2044

Location: Mother Ship

6:15 A.M.

Mii marched back into the room. "Todavía nada?"

Shizu shook her head. "Mii-chan, I've only been at this for an hour. Let the tracking device do its job."

Mii sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I can't wait."

Lirio stood up. "We could check the park for clues. That's the last place they were."

"Or you two could be patient and wait for Shizu to finish tracking them." Zaha piped up, entering the room.

Mii whirled around and growled. "De verdad esperas que me quede quieta? My daughter's just been kidnapped, Zaha! The not knowing is killing me!" She turned to Lirio. "Anything that provides a lead, I'll find comforting."

"Alright." Lirio picked up his bow. "Let's go then."

As they turned to leave, Zaha called out "Mii."

Mii turned to face him.

"Don't think you're the only one that's worried about them." He said.

…

November 16, 2044

Location: Koishikawa Korakuen, Tokyo, Japan.

7:15 A.M.

Mii examined the broken, beat up path of trees in front of her. Sighing, she crouched down and hugged her knees to her chest.

She heard a sound behind her, and turned around to see Lirio. She stood up, hopeful, until he shook his head.

She sighed. "Twelfth trail; all dead ends."

"We'll keep checking." Lirio said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "If we don't find anything here, we'll search around the park."

Mii simply nodded. The two set off again, down the battered trail, until something caught Mii's eye.

Something blue.

And ragdoll-ish.

Before Lirio could stop her, Mii ran crashing through the bushes and came to a small clearing in the middle of some trees. By the looks of it, it looked like there had been a struggle there, but what tipped her off was Amigo, lying off to the side, his smiling ragdoll face surprisingly sad.

Mii fell to her knees and picked up the doll. Gasping, she choked back a sob that escaped from her throat anyway, and clutched the doll to her chest.

"Oh mi bebé…" She whispered. "Where on Earth are you?"

"DON'T MOVE!"

Mii lifted her head to suddenly see a young soldier holding a gun standing in front of her. He looked quite angry…

"What did you do with her, huh?" He demanded. "What did you do with my sister?"

Mii just starred at him.

"Don't try to pretend you don't speak English!" He said. "Where did you take her, huh? Where are you keeping her?"

Mii shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

The man cocked the rifle. "Don't play dumb with me, alien scum!"

Suddenly she heard the charging of Lirio's rifle and saw him point it at the man's head.

"If you would like your head to stay attached to your body, I suggest you put that down." He said.

The man scowled. "I can still pull the trigger before you have a chance to blow my head off." He turned back to her. "Last chance; tell me what you did with her."

"Xiaoming!"

The three of them heard crashing through the trees, and Mii watched as a very familiar man ran headfirst into the clearing. "What are you doing?!"

The man holding the gun, Xiaoming, growled. "Leave me alone, Rothcol! I'm trying to find Ekishou!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Rothcol countered. "I want to save Ekishou as much as you do!"

"Then help me get some answers out of these guys!" Xiaoming retorted.

"They're saying they don't know anything!"

"They can SAY anything they want!"

"Still, don't you think they deserve the chance to explain themselves?"

"NO!"

Rothcol crossed his arms. "What happened to all are innocent until proven guilty?"

Xiaoming tried to think of a retort to that but found he had none. Finally, he put the gun down and stood back.

"Thank you." Rothcol said. He turned to Mii. "Why are you out here?"

Mii felt a lump in her throat but took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm. "We're...looking for our daughter."

Rothcol's eyes widened. "Daughter?"

Lirio helped Mii to her feet and nodded. "She and her friend were kidnapped."

Rothcol looked at Xiaoming. "See, they lost someone too."

Xiaoming narrowed his eyes "They might be lying."

Mii felt the tears spill over as a hot anger built up in her. "Why would I lie about losing my only child?" She felt her voice crack. "My baby has just been kidnapped! She's probably scared to death and I'm just trying to find her!"

Rothcol held up his hands. "I'm sorry. Please EXCUSE MY PARTNER" he glanced back at Xiaoming "For being so rude. We'll leave you be now."

"Wait!" Lirio called. "Who are you looking for?"

Xiaoming growled. "My SISTER…" He said. "Ekishou."

"You think they may have been taken by the same people?"

"That's unlikely. She was taken from San Francisco."

"My sister used to say…" Mii pitched in "That 'assholes are like cockroaches; they seem to be everywhere.'"

Rothcol sighed. "Well, it's our only shot, however unlikely it may be. Chances are that's probably where she is."

Suddenly Lirio's com buzzed. "Lirio! Are you there?" It was Shizu's voice.

He picked up the com. "Yeah, I hear you. What is it?"

"I got a lock on the tracker!" Mii felt her heart jump into her throat and grabbed the com.

"Where are they?!"

"You won't believe this…" Shizu said. "Ever heard of a town called Gilroy?"

"No."

"I know that place!" Rothcol cried. "They used to have garlic festivals all the time!"

Mii continued. "T-They're in Gilroy?"

"Yep. I can organize a transport-"

"We have a jet." Rothcol pitched in. "We could probably get there in a couple hours if we gun it."

Shizu was silent for a moment. "Mii-chan, who's that?"

"A couple of humans." Lirio replied. "They're looking for someone too."

"We'll just use their jet." Mii replied. "Sending something would take too long."

"Well, anything to delay having to go back to San Francisco." Xiaoming said.

The two aliens looked at him.

"We sort of _stole_ the jet." Rothcol replied.

…

November 15, 2044

Location: Gilroy, C.A.

11:15 P.M.

"LINE UP!"

Stella, Nafhe and Ekishou slowly made their way into line, trying to squeeze in between all the other girls. There was a crack of a whip, and the line began to move out the door and up onto the stage.

Before she knew it, Nafhe was blinded by bright lights and faced with an audience full of people. Scary people.

"GOOD EVENING!" The announcer said. "Welcome to the biweekly Euthanasia Brothel whore auction!"

There was cheering from the crowd.

"We have several little beauties for you to choose from tonight, like this pretty little doll right here!" He grabbed the arm of a twelve year old girl and hauled her up onto the stage. "This one is quite a beauty, fresh as a fruit and just as healthy. She's a newbie, so no worries of STD's here."

"_This is disgusting."_ Nafhe thought as the announcer continued. _"Some creepy old dude is gonna buy her off just for…"_

"SOLD!" Nafhe startled out of her fantasy when she heard the announcer shout. The girl was taken by the arms and led off stage by two bodyguards…

"NO!" She suddenly screamed. "NO, NO, NO!" She tried to struggle out of their grip, but they held fast, and she disappeared behind the crowd.

Ekishou turned to Nafhe. "Is that gonna happen to us?"

"Not if I can help it." She replied.

One by one, the girls were pulled out of line and sold off to the buyers, some going quietly, some crying, some screaming and kicking, until the man grabbed Nafhe's arm and hauled her up.

"Now this little beauty we fished out of a park in Japan…" He began. Nafhe looked over at Ekishou and Stella and smiled.

_"Follow my lead."_ She mouthed. Then she tapped on the man's shoulder and said loud enough to be heard in the microphone.

"Mister, I don't feel good."

The man looked at her, then to the audience. "She's just kidding, folks."

"But I'm not!" Nafhe cried. "I feel sick." She held her stomach. "I think I'm gonna barf."

The man ignored her this time. Nafhe turned to her friends and smiled at them, before she closed her eyes.

"_Come on Naff, you've done this before. Just think of gross things. Mazuma's laundry hamper, the compost pile, that video you saw online…" _

Nafhe turned pale, gagged, and vomited onto the stage.

The man looked at her, eyes wide with panic, as his customers began questioning him.

"What have you been feeding that girl?"

"I knew it; they're filthy!"

"Mine better not have whatever she has!"

Finally, Ekishou caught on. She groaned and held her stomach, and all the other girls followed her example.

"Damn it!" The man whispered to the bodyguards. "They're a bad batch! Take them downstairs and douse them in antiseptic!"

Nafhe was shoved off the stage and down below, still smiling slyly.

…

The four figures stood outside the Euthanasia Brothel in the dark alleyway in Gilroy. The outside looked a bit like a log cabin, but they could smell the inside stanch all the way out there.

"This is the place." Lirio said.

"My poor baby…" Mii whispered, clutching Amigo. "She must be so scared…"

"We'll need a distraction to get in." Rothcol said. He turned to Xiaoming. "Can you do your 'Distract the Chicken' dance?"

Xiaoming smirked. "Don't insult me." He looked at all the others. "Once I distract them, you go in through the side door." And with that, he walked up to the doors confidently and flung them open.

Before the bouncer had a chance to throw him out, he pointed his gun at the air and fired into the ceiling.

Everyone stopped, turned and looked at him…

Xiaoming starred at them for a second, then threw his gun down and started dancing a jig.

Mii and Lirio, still back behind him, just starred at him in what was a mix of amazement, horror and confusion.

Rothcol waved them over. "Come on, they won't stay frozen for long!" The two slowly tore themselves away and snuck around to the side.

Meanwhile, the bouncer finally got over, picked up Xiaoming by the collar, and threw him back out the door.

…

Lirio turned the lights on, revealing long corridors with rows and rows of cages stacked high to the ceiling. The floor was wet, so it looked like they'd just run the sprinklers in there. The whole place smelled and it honestly looked like some sort of puppy mill. Only the creatures in the cage weren't dogs; they were young girls.

Some of the girls retreated to the far corners of the cages and huddled in fear, some flung themselves at the bars, screaming and crying.

Mii looked around, eyes filled with tears. "Ay dioses mio…" The three made their way down the corridor.

"MOMMY!"

Mii whirled around. On one of the bottom cages, Stella sat in one of the corners. Her hair had fallen out of her pigtails and she looked tired, but more than anything she looked happy to see her mommy.

"STELLA!" Mii cried. She rushed to the cage and, after fumbling with the lock a bit, broke the lock off and opened the cage. Stella clambered into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably as Mii rocked her back and forth, Lirio soon joining them in their hug.

"Mi pequeña …" Mii said as she tried to control her shaking voice. She pulled away for a bit and ran a hand through Stella's hair. "You're soaking wet…you'll catch a cold if we don't get back soon."

Stella giggled at this, and Mii gave her Amigo, which she held tightly to and nuzzled her face against.

"Hey! What about us?!" They looked up and saw Nafhe and some albino girl in one of the top cages.

Lirio sighed and climbed up the cage walls; breaking the lock and helping the two girls climb down.

"Before you start questioning," Nafhe said as she pointed to Ekishou "Guys; Ekishou. Ekishou, these are some other members of my team. They're Stella's parents."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Ekishou said. "You have a lovely daughter; she looks so much like you."

"Gracias." Mii said, clutching her daughter.

Suddenly, the lights went out, and in the panic, Mii felt a gruff hand over her face and Stella being dragged from her arms.

…

The lights came on in the main room as the six intruders were thrown to the stage. Mii was cursing at the men in Spanish and Lirio was trying to struggle out of his restraints. It was working, too; they actually needed four men to hold him down.

The director-man smirked and grabbed Stella from the arms of one of the bodyguards. Mii screamed and swore in Spanish, and Stella cried and screamed out "MOMMY! DADDY!" over and over again.

Lirio looked at the director with eyes full of fury and tried once again to break free from his human chains, but a fifth man came up and slugged him in the side of the head, causing him to go limp for a second. When he looked up again, red blood had stained his white hair.

Mii's eyes went wide and she spat at the director in rage. She began feeling the inside of her glove…

"_Oh please tell me I brought it. Please tell me I brought it. Please tell me…"_

Her gloved hand brushed the small red vile and she smiled slightly.

The director held up Stella in one hand and cocked a gun with the other. He growled at the two other aliens as Stella began to cry.

"This is what happens when you try to steal from m-"

And then the lights went out.

Mii took the handle out of her glove and pulled it out, watching the red glow as her axe was drawn with it. The man holding her only felt the sharp sting of his abdomen being sliced open before he felt nothing at all.

The director looked around in the darkness. There were sounds of his men screaming and dropping to the ground, and he couldn't tell where they would be next. He dropped Stella, who squeaked and, having inherited Mii's stunning night vision, crawled over to her father, who was now lying on the ground, groggy from the blow dealt to him. She lay down beside him and snuggled into his chest, and he wrapped one arm around her and held her there tightly, almost using his body as a shield.

When the lights came back on, the entire room was a panic. The guests were fighting with each other and the sold girls too keep a hold on them. The other cages had been undone and all the other girls had been released into the main room and were quickly shoving their way to the door.

Mii, however, stood in front of the director, her purple eyes cold. Around her were the dead bodies of all of his bodyguards, bleeding profusely.

"Who…" He whispered "Who are you?"

"Quién soy yo?" Mii pointed to Stella. "I'm HER mother."

The director's eyes widened as Mii raised her axe.

"And I'm YOUR killer!"

There was a sickening crack as the director's skull split open.

…

Nafhe and Ekishou sprinted down the long, dark alleyway. They could hear the thumping of the bodyguards' boots as they chased them down the corridor.

"Where are the others?!" Ekishou asked.

"I don't know!" Nafhe replied. "But we can't stop running; got it?"

"But we just left them behind!"

"They're big kids, Ekishou! They can take care of themselves! And they wouldn't want us to get ourselves killed for them!"

"But they could be killed! And what about Stella?!"

"Eki now is so not the time!" Nafhe replied. "Just run, dammit!"

Nafhe rounded a corner, Ekishou close behind her, and the two ran down a flight of stairs and up another, and ended up on the other side of the road in a grassy field. Well, close to it; they were on the other side of the fence.

As the bodyguards found them and began chasing them, Nafhe hopped the fence and was over in a second. She beckoned for Ekishou to follow, and the girl got to the top and was about to swing her leg over, before they heard a loud "BANGBANGBANGBANG!"

Ekishou dropped off the fence and onto the ground, landing hard on her knees. Her face was scrunched in pain, and blood oozed from four holes in her side.

Nafhe was about to run back and help her, but she looked up at her with pleading eyes and whispered "Go."

Nafhe looked at her once more, and then ran.

…

"EKISHOU!" Rothcol called, scouting the outer fence. He had seen the girls run this way, but he couldn't-

All of a sudden, he heard a low whimper, and saw a flash of white hair as the figure limping across the barren grassland fell down.

"EKISHOU!" He cried again, and rushed to her. He lifted her onto his lap and turned her over, watching as her red eyes opened slowly.

She smiled warmly. "Hi Rothcol…"

"Eki…" He tried to lift her. "Come on, you need a doctor!" But as soon as he touched her side she cried out in pain, so he stopped.

She smiled at him again. "Rothcol…please don't…" She touched his face. "It's okay."

"It's not okay! You're going to die!" He cried.

She nodded. "I know."

"What do you mean 'I know'?!" He held her close to his chest. "This isn't just another little accident, Eki! You are DYING!"

She nodded again. "That's right."

"So let me get you back to camp! They can treat you there! They can help!"

"Rothcol stop."

"I'll never stop! I can't let you die, Eki!" He felt a tear fall down his cheek. "I love you!"

Ekishou's eyes widened. "You…really love me?"

Rothcol nodded.

She smiled. "That's good…that's…very, very good." She said. "I love you too, Rothcol." She reached up and touched his face.

He clutched her hand. "Then let me help you!"

She shook her head sadly. "Rothcol, when you love someone, that means you'd do anything for them, right?"

Rothcol nodded. "Y-Yes."

"Good." She looked up at him sadly. "Then don't save me." She sighed. "It hurt for a while, but now it just feels numb. I can't feel anymore…except for you…in my heart…it feels so warm…" Her hand dropped and he caught it.

She sighed. "It's too late now…I'm already dead."

Rothcol shook his head. "No!"

"Hush now, don't cry…" Ekishou whispered. "It'll be alright, you'll see…"

"How?" Rothcol asked. "You're leaving me…"

Ekishou shook her head. "I won't leave you." She said. "You never leave someone you love." She touched his cheek. "I'll be with you…even when you can't see me…"

"Ekishou…"

She closed her eyes. "Can you…do me a favor?"

Rothcol clutched her hand. "Anything."

"Tell the aliens I'm sorry." She smiled. "And tell Xiao I love him."

Rothcol nodded through his tears. "I will."

"And one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Kiss me…" She opened her eyes slightly. "I've never been kissed before. Quickly…while my lips can still feel."

Wiping away his tears, Rothcol brought Ekishou up on his knee, leaned down, and kissed her, deeply warmly and gently. She sighed, and they seemed to melt together in that instant, and Ekishou even forgot she was dying.

But then her lips slowly lost the feeling of Rothcol's on hers, and he pulled away. She sighed, closed her eyes, and smiled.

Her heart stopped officially two minutes later, and Rothcol took her limp body into his arms, stood up, and screamed to the heavens.

…

As Mii and Lirio ran from the brothel, they stumbled into Nafhe. The pink haired girl began to insist they go back for Ekishou, but in that moment a small transport ship, driven by Shizu and Kali, arrived, and the three were swept up and taken off.

Mii held Stella tightly against her chest as they flew over the dry field, and all of a sudden they heard Rothcol's voice let out a high pitched wail of despair, and looking down through the windshield, they could see her held Ekishou's dead body in his arms.

"Mommy?" Stella said. "What's that?"

Mii clutched Stella closer as Lirio, his head still bleeding, wrapped his arms around them. "Just the wind dear…" She whispered. "El viento en el cañón; singing the song of a broken heart.

…

November 16, 2044

Location: San Francisco, C.A.

12:20 P.M.

Rothcol watched as the two soldiers placed Ekishou's body in the ground, covering it with a blanket. He felt a stab in his heart as they shoveled on the dirt, and he knew in that moment that he would never see her beautiful, smiling face again. He would never hear her cheerful, magical laugh again. The world would keep turning, but she wouldn't be on it. She was gone, taken off by some angel to somewhere where he'd never see her again.

He saw Xiaoming, his eyes filled with tears and his eyes red from crying, fall to his knees in front of her grave and begin sobbing again, burying his face in his hands.

Rothcol nodded in understanding. Ekishou was his sister; the only family he had left. Now that she was gone, he had no one.

But then, Rothcol felt just as empty as they filled in the hole and marked her headstone. A moment of silence was given, and then everyone left and returned to duty.

But Rothcol and Xiaoming stayed, Xiaoming crying for his lost sister, Rothcol for his lost love.

…

November 16, 2044

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

Two white haired girls stood in the dark, dimly lit computer lab that could only be found on the General's moon. One was typing away on a computer, while the other was guarding the doorway, gun ready.

"Blanca, hurry!" The one guarding the door hissed. She had white hair and pale skin hidden by several layers of red and purple clothing; perhaps her eyes matched, but they were unseeable under her dark pink sunglasses.

"I-I'm trying, Alba!" Blanca replied. She, by far, most resembled her mother, with long white hair tied in two, glossy pigtails. Her skin was a bit darker and her eyes a light violet instead of magenta, but still, the resemblance was incredible.

The two girls waited a few more minutes, before Alba cursed and threw the gun down. "This is taking too long! We're gonna get caught!"

"I've almost got the right code! Just give me a minute!" Blanca retorted.

"We don't have a minute!"

"But that's what it takes!" Blanca began to mutter under her breath "If we hack this, we'll finally have all of Mother's plans for the planet…"

"BLANCA GET-"

Alba didn't get to finish her sentence. There was a loud "BANG!" And when Blanca turned around, she saw her sister lying on the floor, the top of her head shot away.

Her mother stood in the doorway, smiling.

Panicking, Blanca grabbed the memory chip that had been plugged into the computer and dashed down another hallway. She pumped her fists and ran as fast as she could, but as she rounded a corner she found herself face to face with the same woman.

Instead of lashing out at her, her mother's eyes filled with tears and she pulled Blanca into a hug. "Darling!"

"M-Mother…?" Blanca almost went limp.

"My baby…did that horrible girl hurt you?" She pulled away and began to check for injuries.

"But…what?" Blanca had never felt so dumb.

Her mother looked worried. "I saw her pointing her gun at you while you had your back turned."

Blanca shook her head. "But…Alba would never…" The conversations they had, the things they'd done, their plan to finally figure out if their mother's words were true or not…the two sisters had never left each other's sides. There was no way…

But as her mother pulled her into another embrace, Blanca felt herself return the hug. "I-I'm all alone now…if I can't trust Alba then who can I trust?"

"You can trust me darling…" He mother stroked her hair, specifically the back of her neck.

"I'll always be here."

Suddenly Blanca felt a searing pain in the back of her neck. Her eyes went wide as realization hit her, but it was too late, she could no longer move. Limply, she fell to the floor and starred up with fading vision.

Her mother smiled down at her with cruel, bewitching eyes.

"I'll never let you leave."

* * *

**I can't believe I wrote this. It's so sad.**

**Anyway, this'll be the last chapter before another time skip. Real action will start heating up very soon, so keep your eyes peeled! And it won't take this long again, I promise!**


	15. Premonition

**Headdesk, headdesk, headdesk, headdesk...**

**I took a week off and I come back with this bullshit. I feel awful. I am so sorry, all of you. You guys are awesome and I am an awful author for putting you through all this. I am so so sorry. I will not try to justify my actions, but I will offer some explanation;**

**First; my summer studies have...not been going well at all. I hate it. I hate the program, and it's all just stressing me out. So, as I try to decide what's best to do, that sometimes cuts into my work time.**

**Second; Grandma and Grandpa came to stay with us for a week.**

**Thirdly, some happy news; Your happy thought are working! Lisa, my cousin, is doing much better! She just had surgery done on her leg, arm and back, and the doctor said all three went really well! Keep sending positive thoughts! She'll be up and back on the runway before we know it! She's a model, I might add.**

**Anyway, I know, it's horribly short. I went braindead. But still, try to enjoy!**

* * *

November 2, 2051

Location: Tokyo, Japan

4:25 P.M.

Leaves were blown into the air as a black motorbike zoomed past. Black hair blew out behind it, leaving almost a trail of darkness behind, and at the front, blue eyes focused on the road ahead.

Twelve year old Stella gunned the ignition and sped down the abandoned freeway. She pushed a finger to her waist to make sure her Black Blade was still in place and, seeing that it was, took hold of the handle bars again.

"How's it going, my little bonita?" Stella heard her mother's voice come on the com. She pressed the talk button on her headset and responded.

"I'm alright, Mother. I'm a third of the way through. Approaching Shiroiwa Junction now." She said.

"Bien entonces. Be careful now; Mazuma has a few road blocks lined up for you."

Stella smiled slightly. "Oh, deberás? That's good, it makes it more fun…" She said in a voice that was both timid and a bit enthused.

"Esa es mi chica~" Mii sang. "Just remember, like we practiced. Adios, darling."

"Adios." Stella replied, and hung up.

Stella rounded a corner and revved the engine just as three training armaments jumped off the incline and onto the road in front of her. Stella swerved to the side and drew Black Blade, slicing one in half as she barreled strait through. The other two began to chase her.

Turning back toward the robots, Stella readied her Rock Canon and pressed the auto-lock button. The weapon instantly locked on to one of the robots, and before it could move, she sent a stream of bullets towards it, pushing it back and sending it flying into a pile of rocks.

She turned on the other one and came up around behind it. The robot readied itself to shoot, but she pressed auto lock again, and the gun honed in on it's pray. She pulled the trigger and pushed it back. The robot stumbled, but soon regained its composure and darted around behind her.

Quickly, Stella did a quick u-turn and pressed the auto lock one more time, sending the bullets strait into the armament's stomach…area and sending it flying off the ledge.

She turned and headed back in her original direction, only for three more robots to surround her.

Stella looked around for an exit. Seeing one that lead to the freeway, she took it and rode straight, keeping on eye on the rear-view mirror.

As the robots got close and closer, she turned a corner into an alleyway and drove straight for the wall. The robots chased her…

When she reached the wall, she rode right up the side and flipped in the air, landing on the ground again. The robots smashed into the wall and powered down.

Stella looked behind her and smirked. She pressed the button on her headset. "Targets neutralized."

"Fantastico~" Mii exclaimed. "You still have two minutes left. Make it back to the ship and you pass."

"And if not?"

"Then we'll try again tomorrow." Mii replied. "But don't worry, I have faith in you."

Stella smiled. "Thank you, Mother." Then she hung up.

"Ah ah ah~ Not so fast…"

Stella skidded to a stop in front of a familiar red head. Or rather, a smoky illusion of a familiar red head.

"Mazuma's illusionary clone." Stella muttered.

"Yeah yeah, introduction isn't necessary." He replied. "I'm just here to add an extra challenge. You still have to make it to the ship, but I'm going to try to stop you."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Stella blew past him, knocking him onto the ground. She heard him yell out "HEY!" and saw him teleport next to her, running alongside.

"I'm just as fast as your motorbike!" He yelled over the engine roar. "Don't even try to outrun me!"

"Don't overestimate yourself." Stella replied. She sped up.

"DUMB MOVE!" He yelled. A wall of fire appeared on the road before Stella, who was speeding towards it quickly. She could see the mouth of the ship on the other side, and there was thirty seconds left on the clock…

She looked around and saw a pile of rock off to the side that made a ramp-like shape. She drove off at an angle and up the rock ramp…

She just barely made it over the fire wall, the flames licking at her legs as she jumped over, but she soon landed safely on the other side.

With ten seconds to go, she sped for the mouth, leapt over the trench, and skidded to a stop on the Mother Ship floor.

Stella powered down the engine and sighed as she heard clapping, and looked to see Mii emerge from the shadows.

"Eso fue maravilloso, darling!" Her mother exclaimed. "Your training is paying off…"

"Thank you, Mother…" Stella replied with a beaming smile, still gasping for breath.

Mii looked her over as her daughter stepped off the bike. "Did you burn your leg?"

"Estoy bien." Stella replied. "My boots protected me."

Mii chuckled and stood up. "Your father was watching your performance as well. He would like to congratulate you."

Stella smiled, and she took her mother's hand and was led away.

…

Lirio looked to the door as it opened. Stella walked inside calmly at first, and then she smiled and rushed to him.

"Father, did I do okay?"

He smiled and hugged her. "You did amazingly. I can't wait to see Mazuma's reaction at you beating him."

"He won't be happy, that's for sure." Mii said. She kissed Stella's head. "I think Nafhe was looking for you earlier."

"Oh." Stella sighed. "She probably needs help cleaning her room again." She gave her mother one last hug before darting away.

Mii watched the door close before she turned to Lirio. "So? What was wrong with it? I know you wouldn't say it in front of her."

Lirio sighed. "She's relying too much on her auto-targeting." He said. "It's there as a tool, it's instead becoming a handicap. What if it jams? Then what?"

She placed one hand on his arm. "Why don't you take her out to Aokigahara tomorrow?" She suggested. "That place is a maze. And we both know how much she loves a challenge. Sería perfecto."

Lirio chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. "Nothing phases you."

Mii moved her hand to his chest. "You taught me that…although…" She sighed. "Can you believe she's twelve years old already?"

"You're about to say 'it feels like we just found her yesterday.'" He said.

"Lo hace." She replied. She sighed again. "I feel old."

"You're not." He consoled her, kissing her forehead. "You have several decades left, maybe even a century or two."

She chuckled. "Not physically, but emotionally I feel…weary." She rubbed her temple. "I look at Stella every day, and every day I think more and more 'My gods, they're turning her into a soldier.'" She shook her head. "This isn't what I wanted for her, but if it was this or being society's doll, then-"

"Then this is the better choice." He finished. "But I don't think you have to worry, Mii. She's not going to slip away."

"Cómo puedes estar tan seguro?"

"You saw the way she ran in here, right?" He asked.

Mii nodded.

"That spark in her eyes that she had as a baby is still there." He smiled. "It's not going to go away that easily. Not after all these years of you being her mother."

"Give yourself some credit." Mii chided sweetly. "You were an excellent father. You still are. She adores you."

"Well you two are pretty close." He replied. "She's a lot like you."

Mii chuckled. "That's funny. She's so much like us, but we weren't the ones who created her."

…

"I know it's here somewhere!" Nafhe said, tossing some of her clothes aside.

Stella jumped up from the bed, lest she be buried by a flying pile of junk. Helping Nafhe clean her room was much harder than is sounded.

"Here it is!" Nafhe shouted, holding up a hair and makeup kit. She Sat Stella back down on the bed. "Take your pigtails out."

"We're supposed to be cleaning, though." Stella protested. Nafhe gave her a look, and Stella didn't argue any longer.

"I saw you with your mom and dad today." Nafhe said as she brushed out Stella's long, black hair. "They were congratulating you."

"They said I did a good job." She replied. "Eso es todo."

"Still, it's nice that you have that."

Stella looked back at her. "Zaha told you when you did a good job, right?"

"Yeah but…" Nafhe sighed. "You probably don't want to hear this again."

Stella looked back at her. "Go on."

"Well, I don't think I can stress enough how lucky you are. You have two parents to love you and raise you…my mom left the second I was born. It was like she gave birth to me and said to my dad 'Okay, I'm out. She's your problem now.'" She sighed. "It wasn't fair."

"But still…" Stella whispered. "Your father stepped up and tried his hardest to be a good father to you. Even if your mother wasn't there."

Nafhe smiled. "I know. And I thank him for that every day." She giggled. "Did I ever tell you how I threw a hissy fit when you were born?"

Stella giggled a bit. "Yep."

"Can I tell you again?"

"Yep."

"Well," She began. "When Zaha got in touch with me about it, you had already been born, of course I had to go back and watch the footage of it."

"You mean the footage you won't show me?"

"I deleted it for your own good. _You_ should at least get to keep your eyeballs. I'm sure Mii-chan's told you anyway; how she woke up and started having contractions, so she woke up Lirio just seconds before her water broke-"

"Not quite like that!" Stella cut in before it got too gruesome. "But along those lines."

"Right, so anyway, I was so sure you were gonna take my place as cutest in the team." Nafhe continued. She smiled and stroked Stella's long black hair. "And then I fell for you too. You were just too cute."

Stella looked back at her and smiled. "And that's why we're a team now."

"Right…" Nafhe's eyes lit up. "And I think Mazuma left his door unlocked~"

…

November 2, 2051

Location: Tokyo, Japan.

Time: UNKNOWN

Standing on the uncovered roof was a tall, young girl. The shadows concealed her well, but her short gray hair caught the light of the setting sun just enough.

She looked over the damage in the street and sighed. The red head Mazuma was still cursing to himself as he tried to put out the fire he started while only making it worse.

The fire that she had jumped without even really trying.

The girl shook her head. Even to a young mind like hers, she knew this girl had to be it. She had to be the one.

Her phone beeped and she picked it up with enthusiasm. "Hello Mother?!"

"Hello Nana, darling~" Her mother's silky voice rang over the speaker. "How are things going? Have you found any more clues?"

Nana hopped from one leg to the other eagerly. "Much more than that Mother!"

"What do you mean?"

"I found her!" She cried, her gold eyes catching the light. "I found Stella!"

* * *

**I came up with the idea that, since Stella doesn't know she's adopted, Mii and the other Apostles must have had to make up a story on how she was born.**

**EDIT: I didn't mention this before, but I picture Stella wearing her Innocent Soul outfit here. why? Well because, even if she is Mii's daughter (And we all know how Mii dresses) I don't think she would be thrilled with Stella running around in short shorts and a bikini top.**

**Anyways, things are starting to warm up, not that Nana's shown up. I WILL START ON THE NEXT CHAPPY RIGHT NOW PLEASE DON'T BE ANGRY OKAY BYE!**


	16. Problem

**First of all, thanks so much, all of you, for being so understanding of me not posting as frequently. Really, you guys are all so awesome and your reviews brighten up my day. Speaking of reviews;**

**Lonewolf685: I take it you like the costume. I thought it would be a good fit~**

**RYNO IV: Ah, so you've gotten to THAT part. Now you understand why I hate Nana. Well, let me rephrase that: I don't COMPLETELY hate her, she just...really really irritates me. I like the character aspects, and I think she has a lot of good REASON to be angry but...she's a bitch. Anyway, hope you're enjoying the game!**

**Again, thank you all for being so patient will me.**

* * *

November 3, 2051

Location: Aokigahara Forest, Mt. Fuji, Japan.

11:30 A.M.

Stella followed her father silently as he led her down the forest trail. The sun was setting quickly in the distance, and she could see the stars starting to appear. Crickets chirped and the wind gently rustled through the trees, creating a false sense of peace, considering that this would be today's training site.

Lirio stopped in a clearing, and Stella stood still as he turned to face her.

"I noticed you've been relying a lot on your auto-lock." He noted.

Stella felt her heart skip a beat as she thought of the previous days training session. "Yes…"

"I know it's a tool that can very easily be abused…" He said, "But you have to try to limit your usage. Don't get addicted to it."

"Okay."

He sighed and patted her head. "Hey, don't look so sad. I'm not scolding you. You're not in trouble." He smiled. "But for today's lesson, I'm disabling your auto-targeting. Let's see how you do without it, okay?"

He flipped a few dials on her Rock Cannon, and a few lights switched off.

"Now then…" He said, stepping back. "If you feel like it's getting to be too much for you, you know what to do. I'll be watching you from the overhang, in case things get out of hand."

"Gracias, Father."

He smiled at her and teleported away, leaving Stella alone in the forest.

She began walking. Aokigahara was truly a maze; that was for sure. The winding pathways and dead ends provided many opportunities to get completely lost. And if you strayed far from the trail, you basically sealed your own fate.

Stella took a deep breath. Her father was watching her. He wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. She had to relax.

On cue, a few training armaments showed up, the ones shaped like floating cubes. Stella was about to ready her auto-lock but remembered it had been disabled, and instead reached for her Black Blade. Before the cubes could make a move, in three swift motions she cut one across the center, one downward, and one diagonally. Pieces of machinery went flying everywhere.

Stella smiled and continued walking. She ran into a few more armaments, some shaped like John Does and some shaped like Eaters (Which she swore looked like glorified toasters) and some shaped like very small CNRT's. She managed to do very well without her auto lock, using her Black Blade and sniper attachment to stun them before going in for the kill. (She thanked her lucky stars she had her father's perfect aim.)

Suddenly she stopped. She heard a humming noise that was not at all the sound of a training armament. Had she been anyone else, she would have ignored it. However, her mother had always told her "When your body is telling you something's not right, listen to it."

Stella spun around just in time to see a large, mechanical hand slam down on the spot where she had been. Standing before her was a massive armament with two heads, appropriately named "Double Head."

This was not a training armament. She knew that not even Zaha would be pushy enough to send this after her.

She didn't have time to think before the Double Head sent lasers charging from its hand straight at her. She barely managed to somersault out of the way as they hit the tree behind her.

Stella drew her Black Blade and charged at the thing, but it caught the blade in its crushing hold. Stella was yanked away from it and landed hard on the ground, her Rock Cannon skidding off to the side as well.

Desperate, Stella held up her hand and yelled "Stand down!"

The Double Head didn't power down. It tossed her blade aside and readied itself for another shot.

"Stand down!" She cried again. "STAND DOWN!"

The Double Head shot at her and she jumped up and out of the way. It prepared another shot, and in that split second she yelled:

"FATHER HELP ME!"

The laser hit her and sent her barreling backward into a tree. She landed upside down in the dirt, sliding down to fall on her side, which burned.

Suddenly she heard her father's voice, and heard a loud explosion as the Double Head was destroyed by her father's bow.

Lirio ran to his daughter and knelt beside her, worry present on his face. He slowly turned her over and helped her to sit up, which elicited a cry of pain from Stella, as well as a few tears.

She made the mistake of looking down, and saw that her dress had been torn, revealing a long, bloody gash running along the right side of her torso. When she saw it she nearly broke out in sobs, but Lirio picked her up and held her close against his chest.

"Shizu!" He said into his headset. "Prepare the medical bay! We had a training accident!"

She clutched Lirio's jacket, the pain spreading from her wound through her body as her father ran down the trail with her in his arms.

…

November 3, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

12:00 A.M.

Needless to say, her mother was not happy.

Mii rushed to the infirmary the second Lirio and Stella got home. She was biting her lip and staying very quiet, and anyone who knew her could tell she was trying not to burst into tears.

However, when Stella took one look at her worried face and started sobbing quietly herself, Mii managed a smile and took her daughter's hand as she lay on the table.

"It's alright, Mija." She assured her. "No es tan malo. Why, Shizu will have you fixed up in no time!"

Stella wiped her tears. "But I didn't pass the training."

"Don't worry about that." Lirio answered. "It wasn't your fault anyway."

Shizu managed to keep her usual "doctor's face" as she determined that the cut wasn't so deep it would effect her internal organs and began to stitch her up.

"It'll probably leave a scar though." She said as she tied off the thread. "But that's alright; it'll just be a badge of courage."

Stella nodded.

Shizu bandaged her and pulled her gloves off. "Well, that'll be it. The stitches dissolve so you won't have to worry about removing them. Just make sure to get some rest, okay?"

"Can I go back to my room?" Stella asked.

"Sure." Shizu replied. "Don't move around too much. And no more training for the next week and a half."

Stella's face fell at that, and Mii smiled. "I'll let you come on a mission with me hen you're better. How's that?"

Stella smiled. "Eso suena bien."

"Good." Mii kissed her forehead. "I'll come by and tuck you in in a few minutes."

"Okay…" Stella hopped down from the table and walked slowly out of the room.

Mii turned to Lirio. "So, what happened?"

"One of the robots went out of control." He replied. "Must have been a glitch in the programming."

"Zaha won't be happy to hear that." Shizu added. "The last thing we need is to have to redesign the whole system."

"Maybe it was just the one." Mii piped up. "It's very possible. Remember there was that one Eater who just ran in circles all the time."

"Not was; IS, actually." Shizu replied. "Nafhe insisted on keeping it as a pet."

"And that one wasn't dangerous." Lirio added.

Mii approached him and planted a delicate kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry about it for now. It was probably just a one time thing." She smiled and walked toward the door. "Well, I have to tuck in Stella. Volveré en unos~" And with that, she was gone.

Lirio sighed. "I don't like this."

"Look, it's probably fine. Computers get glitches all the time." Shizu replied.

"I'd believe it if it was anyone else but Stella…" He said "But when I went to attack that thing it didn't even blink at me."

"Maybe it just didn't have time to react. You're a very fast man, Lirio."

"Stop talking to me like you're my therapist." He cried.

"Then I'll talk to you like I'm your cousin, which I am in case you forgot!" Shizu retorted, getting mad. "Stella's my family, too; I care about her just as much as you and Mii-chan!"

The two of them were silent for a while, before Lirio sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I've never done that before."

"It's alright." She replied. "I know you're just worried. And you have every right to be; Stella's your daughter after all." She smiled. "But really, I think it'll be fine."

"Yeah…" Lirio muttered. "Still…I can't help but worry…that spell we put on her…what if it's wearing off?"

…

"_And who but my Lady Greensleeves." _Mii finished. Stella sighed and smiled, lying back on the pillow.

"I like it when you sing to me." She said.

"I like that you're not too old to like it." Mii replied with a smile. She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now; what's wrong?"

Stella looked away. "I'm just…a bit disappointed."

"Acerca de lo que?"

"About failing my training."

Mii sighed and stroked her hair. "Darling, don't you worry about that. We all have these days. Besides, it was an unfair fight."

"Pero aún así…" Stella protested softly.

Mii smiled. "Your father had an incident like yours a while back. Had a nasty run-in with a Runner." She shook her head as if remembering something bad. "It slashed him right across the stomach. There was blood everywhere; I thought I was going to lose him…" Then she smiled. "But I didn't. And when the surgery was over and all was said and done, I found out he was just trying to impress me."

Stella giggled.

"Así que ya ves?" Mii said. "This happens to everyone. Even the most skilled of fighters. Especially the love-struck ones~"

The two laughed at that, and Mii pulled the covers up to Stella's chin and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be able to go on a mission with you when I'm better, right?" Stella asked in a tiny voice.

"Of course." Mii assured her. She stood up and walked to the door, turning of the light and smiling back at her daughter. "Sweet dreams, my little bonita." She said before she closed the door.

Stella turned over onto her side and closed her eyes, unable to see a pair of gold eyes watching her steadily through the window…

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Yay for foreshadowing!**


	17. Capture

**Hi all.**

**You know what? I've stopped caring that my updates are coming late. Their faster than any of my other stories. So, start expecting them about every 5-7 days.**

**That being said, guess what I'm doing right now? PACKING! Why? BECAUSE I'M GOING ON ANOTHER TRIP! Where? CAMP! FOR 10 DAYS.**

**That means this story won't be updated for 10 DAYS! I hope you guys have coffee ready 'cause it'll be a long week and a half.**

**Good news is this might finally cure me of my text-neck, which I have had almost all summer. It's not fun. How? Well the camp I'm going to is near Lake Tahoe, so Wifi and 3G are like myths. I won't even be able to check my e-mail!But that's fine. It'll be fun.**

**Now; REVIEWS!**

**Lonewolf685: Yes, they need bars on the windows~**

**BRSFangirl109: I...just unpacked from my Tahoe trip a week ago. Seriously, I let my suitcase sit in my room for MONTHS! However, I wish you luck on your quest! God speed, my friend!Your other questions contain spoilers, however I can answer one; no, it was not Kali watching her, it was Nana. If you'll remember, she has gold eyes.**

**Now then...**

* * *

November 13, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

9:30 A.M.

Stella unwrapped the bandage from around her body, a thin scar the only trace of the once-was gaping wound. She pulled on her dress, which had been well mended by her mother, and ran a hand through her long black hair.

"Stella, are you ready?" Mii called.

"Almost!" Stella called back. She grabbed her hair ties and pulled her hair up into its usual pigtails just as her mother walked in.

"Ay dioses mio…" Mii said, standing back to look at her daughter fully. "You're so grown up."

Stella looked down. "Really…?"

Mii smiled and laid her hand on Stella's head. "No se preocupe, you're still my little girl~" She said.

Stella smiled and hugged her tightly. Mii stroked her hair gently and giggled.

"It'll be cold, so bring a jacket." Mii told her as they pulled away.

She nodded and grabbed her black embroidered sweater and her poncho, following Mii out the door.

…

November 13, 2052

Location: Moscow City, Russia

4:30 A.M.

The two stepped onto the snowy field, looking over the bitter wasteland. Various pieces of frozen rubble littered the ground, indicating that recently there had been a crash of some sort there.

Stella looked around and glanced at her mother, who adjusted her black leather jacket and nodded to Stella. "Manténgase cerca."

The two continued down the frozen ground, their boots clicking on the ice until thy came to the old factory ruins.

Mii looked around. "Life signs point to somewhere around here…" She checked the snow for anything and found a thin streak of red. "Blood."

Stella looked around at the site. "Mother? ¿Qué es eso?"

Mii stood up and looked where she was pointing. Off to the side lay a figure covered in snow…

Mii walked over and brushed the snow off the figure, who was revealed to be a man with short brown hair and a bit of chin scruff. He had a long gash across his chest, so this was obviously the source of the blood.

"Is he dead?" Stella asked. The man moaned in response.

"Where…am…I?" He opened his eyes as Mii smiled.

"Good, he's alive. We should be able to carry out a neblade then-"

Suddenly the man's eyes flew open. He blinked several times, and then pulled off Mii's witch hat.

"I…I know you!" He cried.

Mii stood up and pushed Stella behind her. "Mija, ready your weapon."

"No, no, it's alright!" He cried. "Don't you remember?! That night twelve years ago! Your daughter was just a baby! You came running through the jungle and I let you get away!"

Mii's eyes widened. "You…"

The man sat up, with some difficulty. "Yes, me! You remember now?!"

Mii nodded. "Rothcol Shepard. You've got a few more years on you now since the last time I saw you."

Rothcol looked almost relieved, as if he were seeing an old friend. He looked over at Stella and smiled. "And this is your daughter? My god she's so grown up. You were just about this big when I last saw you." He held up his hand as measurement.

Mii smiled. "Well, we WERE going to perform a neblade on you…"

"W-What's a neblade?" Rothcol asked.

Mii shook her head and smiled. "We eat your soul."

"…Oh…"

"Please remember sir, we're not human." She said. "However, since you did save my daughter's life, I do believe I owe you. Therefore," She smirked and stood. "We'll just have to bring you home with us."

…

November 13, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

4:20 A.M.

Rothcol fell back onto the floor as he and the two alien women teleported back to the Mother Ship. Mii looked back at him gasping and smiled.

"Lo estás haciendo bien. Most people vomit on their first try." She said.

"Don't speak too soon, because I just might…" He replied, pulling himself up. Sure enough, the second he did, he doubled over and puked on the floor, shortly before passing out.

When he awoke again, there was a bright light shining in his eyes, and when he could focus again, he saw a blonde alien woman standing over him, holding a strange tool.

"GAH!" He screamed, sat up and scrambled backward on the table. The woman looked unfazed.

"You're awake." She said matter-of-factly. She wrote something on a clip board and turned back to him. "Well, you think you can open your eye for me?"

"WHY?! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ME?" He cried.

She raised an eyebrow and held up an ophthalmoscope. "I want to check your eye."

Rothcol relaxed slightly. "Oh…"

She reached forward and pulled his eye open, shining the light inside. "You're terrified, that part's clear. Otherwise, for a human, you look normal."

"For a human." He repeated slowly. Already he was having a hard time distinguishing these aliens from normal humans. They looked so alike.

"Buenos tardes!" He heard someone call from the doorway. He turned and saw Mii and Stella standing there.

Mii waved. "Konichiwa. Are you feeling better?"

"Um…kinda." He replied. She approached him, and Rothcol was sure by the amount her breasts were jiggling, she must have STILL been lactating.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced." She said as she held out her hand. "I'm Mii."

"Um…" He shook her hand. "Do you…have a last name? Or does your kind not do that?"

Mii giggled. "Well yes, it's just that they don't make much sense to you humans. They're not in your language after all." She withdrew her hand. "My full name is Mii Tightmare."

Rothcol just starred at her, about to protest that it wasn't actually a word, but he decided against it.

"And this," She put her arm around her daughter. "Is my daughter, Stella."

"Nice to meet you." He said.

The blonde woman then extended her hand. "And my name is Shizu Loreto." Rothcol shook her hand as well.

Mii turned to Shizu. "Where's Lirio?"

"He's trekking through the Sierra Nevada. I asked him to collect some samples of the plants up there." Shizu replied.

"Who's Lirio?" Rothcol asked.

"Stella's father." Shizu replied. "My cousin."

"And my _fiancé_." Mii said with a smile.

Rothcol's eyes widened a bit. "You're engaged?"

Mii looked at him. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, no," He protested. "I just…kind of assumed you were a single mother, that's all."

"Pues te aseguró que no soy." She said. "When your ready feel free to meet us in the dining hall, you'll be joining us for dinner tonight."

"You're not doing a good job of making him feel like a prisoner." Shizu said with a chuckle.

"I know." She said. "He saved my daughter's life." She smiled back at him. "The one thing that makes you a prisoner though, is you can't leave."

…

After Shizu tightly bandaged his wounds, Rothcol painfully made his way to his directed "cell" (guest room). He lay down on the bed and sighed.

So sure, they treated his wounds, gave him shelter and even offered him food. But he was STILL a prisoner. Marion and Phobos would be wondering what happened to him. If the search parties found nothing, he'd probably be presumed dead.

He sighed and tried to turn over, but his wounds screamed in protest and he lay on his back again. He sniffled and blinked back the tears that were quickly filling up n his eyes. Great. Here he was, a 31 year old man, crying like a little kid.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Before he could say "Come in," Shizu opened the door and stepped inside.

"I thought you would like to join us for dinner." She said. "Everyone's in the living room right now. I know Nafhe and Mazuma are quite anxious to meet our human prisoner."

Rothcol sighed. He wanted to stay in bed, but he knew the best thing he could do was perhaps try to make friends with these people. Maybe then they wouldn't eat him.

He hauled himself out of bed and, with Shizu's help, made his way down the hall to the living room.

He stopped. Inside, at one of the far corners, he saw Mii in the arms of a young man with dark skin, white hair, and blazing green eyes that looked at her with pure love. She smiled and kissed him deeply, whispering something in his ear, before he kissed her neck gently and whispered something intimate back.

Rothcol couldn't help but stare at the two of them, not because he was a peeping tom, but because it felt like the love they radiated spread all the way across the room. He could feel it where he stood. He had been taught to believe, all these years, that the invaders couldn't feel love, couldn't feel emotion, all they did was lie. Even when he saw Mii holding her daughter against her chest all those years ago, the image had overlaid itself with the pictures of his dead comrades, his friends…and his beloved.

But now, as he watched this couple, this alien couple, revel in their pure, untainted love for each other; it hit him that he knew less than NOTHING about these creatures that had turned his home into theirs. They could love. They could _feel_. They had emotions and thoughts and wants and needs as well. In a way, he was no more human than they were.

Maybe even less.

How long had it been since he'd _felt_? Since he'd felt any sort of remorse for the plans to murder this race into extinction for what they had done?

_Not since Ekishou died._

He'd felt nothing. He'd felt for so long an unbelievable pain from her passing; a gaping hole with a stabbing pain that worsened every second.

But after that eventually faded, he felt nothing.

And it scared him.

He looked away only when he saw Stella come into the room. There she was; the poster child of their love. How one beautiful thing had created another, even more beautiful thing; it had created a _life_ where there was only death.

Someone cleared their throat and startled Rothcol out of his daze. He turned to see a young man with bright crimson hair and a strange…spike…thing covering his left eye.

The man smirked. "So, you're our captive, huh?" He looked him up and down and held out his hand. "I'm Mazuma. Don't ask my last name 'cause I don't have one."

Rothcol shook his hand, but all he could focus on was the strange contraption covering his eye. He took a deep breath and was about to ask but before he could…

"Nails." Mazuma answered for him. "Angry, vicious nails."

"Huh?"

"You wanted to know how I lost my eye, right?" Mazuma asked.

"It was because of me~"

The two looked over to see that Mii and Lirio had finished their make-out session and were standing not far from them. Now facing him, Rothcol could see Lirio had a black streak cutting across his white locks.

Mazuma grimaced. "You really need to cut your nails, you know that?"

"Fue hace catorce años." Mii protested. "Get over it."

"I will as soon as my eye grows back."

Mii sighed. "Well, I have to go help with dinner." She gave Lirio one last kiss before disappearing through the door.

Lirio watched her go before turning to Rothcol. "Lirio Loreto." He said, extending his hand. "I'm Stella's father."

Rothcol shook his hand. "I'm Rothcol Shepard."

"Are you all making nice in here?" Shizu asked. "Stella, would you like to help us set the table?"

"Aright." She said, and she disappeared into the kitchen.

Shizu smiled at Rothcol. "You'll be sitting in between me and my brother Kali."

Rothcol managed to smile back. Sure he may have been away from his home, and his friends HAD to be worried, but he was less a prisoner and more a guest here. He might even enjoy it.

"Here, I'd like you to meet my other cousin Kali." Lirio said.

Rothcol took one look at the looming behemoth and squeaked.

Or maybe he wouldn't.

* * *

**And that's that. Rothcol gets to live the life of an alien for the time being.**

**Well, that's it for the next 10-12 days people. Wish me luck and I'll see you soon!**

**Bye!**


	18. Feelings

**So here's how it all went down...**

**I got up to camp.**

**I got sick.**

**Took me three days to convince them to send me home.**

**Got home.**

**Spent the rest of my time recovering from illness.**

**But I'm back now. So it's fine. Thanks to all of you for sticking with me! This'll be the last "nothing" chapter, before we get right into the main climax, which I will NOT delay on because school starts in 9 days.**

**Also, 18 chapters, 51 reviews, 10 Faves, 10 Follows, officially making THIS my longest and most successful story EVER! For that, I will be posting the second chapter TOMORROW! That's right! Even if it kills me! I'll stay up till midnight and get up at six just to do this for you!**

**Doesn't look like anyone has any questions that need answering, but anything you;re wondering will be answered here. ENJOY!**

* * *

November 13, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

6:30 P.M.

Rothcol entered the dining room slowly. It didn't look any different from any other dining room, except that the table was longer and there were more chairs. He saw Stella helping to set down plates and silverware, and a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen.

He heard footsteps from behind him and turned to see Shizu, who smiled at him. "We're having Fettuccine Alfredo tonight."

"Oh…" Was all he could say.

"Do you not like it?"

"No, no, it's just…" He cleared his throat "I didn't expect you to know how to cook human food."

"I'll admit it was a bit of a transition, but it wasn't that hard." She replied. "You didn't think we just ate souls all the time, did you?"

He said nothing.

"We don't." She assured him. "They're not very filling."

Once the plates were set, everyone came in and sat down. Kali, all 300 pounds of him and his muscle, came in and plopped down in a chair next to Rothcol, who jumped and stared wide eyed at the behemoth next to him.

Kali made a few roaring and grunting noises, and Rothcol drew back, shaking in fear.

"He just wants to know why you're starring at him like that." Shizu said without looking up from her food.

"I…uh…" Rothcol stumbled over the words. "…I like your beard!"

Kali stared at him, looking confused.

Rothcol went with it. "It's very…long! And…braided!"

Shizu was trying her best to suppress her giggle with her hands.

Rothcol kept talking. "You're well trained in the art of…beard…ing my friend."

Mazuma burst out laughing and Rothcol's face turned a deep red.

There was a "Hmph" from the head of the table, and Rothcol looked up at the gruff looking old man who was looking at him like a king might look at a disobedient servant. To his right was a tiny girl with pink eyes and hair who was starring at him like he was a fun new toy to play with. That or a tasty treat.

"Mii, why did you take this man prisoner?" The old man asked. "He won't be useful for anything. He's barely a soldier."

"_Gee, thanks."_ Rothcol thought.

"Porque, Zaha…" Mii replied, "He spared my life AND Stella's. That MUST earn him some points~"

Zaha "hmphd" again, and the pink haired girl piped up in a squeaky voice;

"Hi there! I'm Nafhe! I'm one of your captors!" She exaggerated the word and smiled. "Whoa, I've always wanted to say that! You've already met my dad." She gestured to Zaha.

Rothcol's eyes widened. "_He's_ your dad?!"

Zaha shot him an angry look.

"Uh…" Rothcol shrank back. "And by that I mean, of course he is! You look a lot alike, I can see the resemblance!"

Nafhe giggled and Zaha didn't respond.

Not wanting to embarrass himself anymore, Rothcol bent his head and dug into his meal. A half hour later, he was about halfway through when he stopped.

"Um…" He said "A-Are there Habanero peppers in this?"

"There shouldn't be…" Mii replied.

Mazuma whistled and leaned back. "I snuck them on his plate." He admitted. "I wanted to give the guy a proper welcoming present."

"Why? Is there a problem?" Shizu asked worriedly.

Rothcol didn't have time to answer before he felt his dinner coming back up.

…

Rothcol lay face down on his bed, not even bothering to look up when Shizu came in.

"I made a huge fool of myself, didn't I?" He asked, his voice muffled by the covers.

Shizu sat beside him on the bed and patted him on the back. "…It…wasn't that bad."

"Even YOU were laughing when I barfed up Habanero peppers all over the table!"

"We didn't know you were allergic to them." She protested. "I'm sorry. Mazuma got a good scolding for sneaking them on to your plate, by the way."

Rothcol grumbled.

Shizu sighed. "It gets cold in here. Would you like any extra blankets?"

He turned onto his side and looked at her. "Um…no thanks. Just having a bed is a luxury I'm not used to."

She smiled, and Rothcol noticed how pretty she looked when she did. "I'll bring you some in case you change your mind." She left and came back with a couple of quilts.

"Thanks…" He said.

"You're welcome." She turned to leave…

"Hey!" Rothcol called out. "If you need any help in your…lab…thing, I know a bit about medicine, so I could probably…"

She smiled again. "Actually, I could use your help tomorrow, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all!" Rothcol insisted. "Um…goodnight then."

"Goodnight." She replied, and closed the door.

Rothcol lay on the bed and starred at the ceiling, feeling both extremely happy and emotionally confused.

…

November 14, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

11:30 A.M.

The next morning, Rothcol came back to the med lab to see Shizu was already up and working. She turned away from her desk and smiled at him.

"Morning." She said. "How's your shoulder?"

"Hm?" Rothcol said, just remembering the injury. "Oh, it's fine. Doesn't even hurt anymore."

"All the same, I'd like to check it." Shizu replied. She sat him down on the exam table and unbuttoned his shirt, and he felt the blood rush to his face and turn his cheeks bright red. Luckily she didn't notice.

Shizu undid the bandage, disinfected the wound, and wrapped it with fresh gauze. "You're doing very well." She said.

Rothcol nodded. "I'm...well, I'm used to a lot worse." Then it dawned on him. "Wait, if I'm in here, why aren't we being attacked by your robots?"

In response, Shizu held his arm up to his face, where he saw a small scar.

"It's a new device we just built for taking prisoners." She said. "It blocks the armaments from detecting your signal. We only made it a few months ago."

Rothcol nodded.

Shizu tied the gauze around Rothcol's shoulder and stood up. "You should be fine for now."

"Alright." He replied, rubbing the now scabbing wound on his chest. "Um...anything you need help with?"

"Actually, I could use your help organizing these." She gestured to some stacks of paper.

"What are those?" He asked.

"Medical history forms." She replied. "I'm required to fill them out for every person on the ship. I just need help separating them into their folders."

"I can do that." Rothcol said. "I was an academic for a while, in the early days if the war."

"Good, then this'll be right up your ally."

The two of them sorted papers for a while, until Rothcol took a good long look at a piece of paper from Kali's folder.

"Shizu..." He asked timidly. "What happened to your brother?"

She didn't answer him for a minute. He was about to ask again, when she answered "What do you mean?"

Rothcol looked back at the picture of Kali. Had it not been for the beard and the haircut, he wouldn't have recognized the man at all. He was much scrawnier, and wore thick, round glasses a bit like his sister's. Like this, Rothcol could definitely see the resemblance between the two.

He looked a little like a nerdy Brad Pitt.

Shizu looked away.

"If you don't want to talk, I understand. It's fine." Rothcol said.

Shizu shook her head. "I know I should talk to someone though."

"It's not good to hold it in if it's painful..." He clutched her hand "You're secret is safe with me."

Shizu began. "...Kali thought that...that neblading humans was wrong. He was a doctor, like I was, and he was convinced it went against the Hippocratic Oath...so he nebladed animals instead."

"And that's what made him like that?"

Shizu looked up at him. "You humans don't follow the practice of neblading, do you?"

Rothcol shook his head. "If you could explain it that would be nice."

Shizu took a deep breath. "Neblading is…the practice of consuming the soul of another. It gains you their energy and power, which is why neblading powerful individuals is always better.

"But with neblading…" She continued "Sometimes you begin to take on the physical attributes of the things you neblade. We usually nebladed humans, which were close enough in genetic material that, even if there was a change, we wouldn't notice it, because we already look so much like you."

"But Kali…" He said "Didn't do that?"

Shizu shook her head. "He nebladed animals, because he thought neblading something as similar to us as a human was just cruel. But because of that…he began to take on the physical appearances of those animals…" She looked away. "Because of his kindness, he became a monster."

"…That's awful." Rothcol said. "That's not fair at all. Is there any way to reverse it?"

"I've been trying to find a way…" She replied. "But it hasn't been going well. The only way I can think to counter it is to have him neblade humans, but he refuses to do that."

Then she began to cry.

"He can't even talk anymore…" She whispered. "It's like his body is a prison, and he's trapped inside it."

Rothcol wanted to comfort her. He wanted to pull her against his chest and hold her as she cried, just to assure her that everything would be alright.

But before either of them could move, they were jerked out of their state by an explosion and a scream.

* * *

**Will I be shipping Shizu/Rothcol for this story?**

**That you will just have to wait to find out.**

**24 hours guys! Hold on, it'll get exiting!**


	19. Revelation

**Good morning.**

**I'm just gonna post this and go to sleep.**

**Doesn't look like anyone has any questions for me, which is good cause I'm too tired to answer them.**

**My editor Omega does have a foreward for you guys though.**

**"Hi, I am tired."**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

November 14, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

11:30 A.M.

Rothcol and Shizu hurried toward the sound of the scream to find Stella and Nafhe cornered by several armaments. Neither of them were armed and the robots were closing in fast.

Rothcol's first thought was that the robots were there for him, but they weren't even looking at him. It was like he didn't exist.

Stella looked like she was trying to remain calm, but the armaments rushed at her in a sudden burst of energy and she squeezed her eyes shut…

"ALEJARSE DE MI HIJA!"

There was a loud crash, and Stella opened her eyes to see her mother, holding her axe and swatting away the armaments like they were flies.

Shizu took advantage of the distraction and grabbed the girls' hands. "Come on!" She cried. "We have to run!"

The group of four rushed down the Mother Ship halls, several other armaments on their tail. Stella couldn't see where her mother was, but she prayed to the gods that she was alright.

When they came to a fork in the road, Shizu shoved Nafhe and Stella in one direction while she and Rothcol took off in the other, calling "KEEP RUNNING AND DON'T STOP!" over her shoulder.

Stella complied.

She and Nafhe sprinted down the hall, going through secret passageways that had been long forgotten as children. Stella slipped around a corner and looked back, and suddenly realized that she had lost Nafhe.

Despite how much she wanted to panic, Stella remembered her father's words on staying calm even when you wanted to freak out.

"_Panic distracts you; it'll take over your mind like a fungus and control you. Don't let it. Tell yourself that no matter what, you're still in control."_

Stella took a deep breath. "I am in control." She said. "I am in control. Not the armaments. I am."

She looked around.

"_Go over what you know about the situation. Recite the facts to yourself."_

"There's a back door near the supply chute." She said to herself. "It leads out into the training ground." She stood up as best she could. "I could squeeze through this crevice here and make it through…"

Stella crouched down again. She stared through the planks of wood that were stacked haphazardly on top of one another, finding a dark little hole that she knew led where she wanted to be.

It may have been seven years, but she must have been still small enough to make it through…

Hopefully.

She carefully stuck on arm in, then the other, and pulled her head and shoulders through. She heard the wood creak a bit, but took a deep breath and kept pulling her way through. Her hips were next, then one leg, then the other, and finally she was through.

She made her way through the tunnel, toward the distant source of light.

…

Stella opened the door and burst outside, panting for breath. She looked around, trying to search for any armaments, and finding none, she lay back against the wall.

"Por qué me persiguen?" She asked herself, speaking her thoughts out loud. "I'm not a human."

"No." A voice said. "You're not."

He head snapped up. In front of her stood a girl, probably around fifteen, with short gray hair and gold eyes that glinted maliciously in the light.

Stella held her head up, as her mother had taught her to do, and tried to look proud and menacing. "Who are you?"

The girl broke out in a fit of giggles. "So it's true! You really DID believe what they told you!"

Stella wished she had her weapon with her.

The girl stopped giggling ad smiled a smile that seemed…familiar.

"My name is Nana Gray." She said. "I'm the 22nd 2nd generation clone."

Stella looked her over and straitened up. "If you're a GRAY clone, I'll have to take you into custody."

Now Nana was hollering with laughter. "Silly, silly girl!" She said. "Then you'd have to arrest yourself!"

Stella took a few steps forward, hoping to intimidate the girl. "What are you talking about?"

Nana strode up to her and stroked her thick, black hair. "You poor, poor thing." She said. "You're such a fool. You've been lied to your entire life and you never even knew~"

Stella tried to shrink away, but Nana leaned close and whispered something in her ear that almost made her fall to her knees.

"I'm your sister." She whispered. "You're a GRAY clone too."

…

Mii gasped for breath after knocking away the last armament. She wiped her brow and looked around.

Lirio ran up to her. "Are you alright?! Where's Stella?!"

Mii nodded. "Shizu got her and Nafhe out of here…"

Just then Nafhe tumbled out of the vent. "OW!" She yelled as she hit the ground.

"Nafhe, you were with Stella right?" Mii asked the pink haired girl. "Which way did she go? Did you see?!"

Nafhe looked at her. "Oh yes, I'm okay, don't worry about me. Just fell out of a ventilation duct, but hey, I'm sure only a few bones are broken."

Mii grit her teeth. "Don't play games with me, enana." She hissed. "Where's my daughter?"

"Look, we got split up." Nafhe replied, standing up. "One second she was with me, and the next, she was gone."

Mii looked to Lirio. "Can we use the tracking units?"

"If she's on the ship it won't make a difference." He said. "But we can try."

Shizu and Rothcol entered in through another door, both of them panting and sweating.

"Shizu," Lirio said. "We need you to activate Stella's DNA tracker."

"You know it won't work if she's on board." Shizu replied.

"I know that. Try anyway! Those armaments are after her and she's unarmed."

Shizu sighed, and they followed her into a large room with several computer monitors. Several buttons were pushed, and a soft blue light lit up on the screen.

"She's not on the ship." Shizu said. "Someone's with her. It's…Oh gods, we have to find her quick!"

…

November 14, 2051

Location: Aokigahara, Mt. Fuji, Japan

12:20 P.M.

Stella followed Nana down the dirt road. "Where are you taking me?"

"I'm not taking you anywhere." Nana replied. "You're the one following me."

Stella clenched her jaw. "Only because what you're saying is absolutely insane." She replied. "There's no way I'm a GRAY clone. I have a mother and a father, and they're both Apostles. I was naturally born."

"And who told you that?" Nana asked her. "The ship's doctor? Do they have any footage of you being born? Any proof?"

"They won't show me the footage." Stella replied.

"Which just means they don't have any." Nana stopped in front of a big metal door. "This is it. All information on Professor Gibson's work was stored here." She smiled back at Stella. "I'll show you the truth."

The door opened and Stella followed her inside. It was a very large base, and a lot of it was not used for anything, leaving quite a lot of wide open space. But along the walls spanned a giant computer, probably capable of holding decades worth of information. On one part of the wall sat a large desk with a keyboard and six monitors, all blank.

Nana walked up to the monitors and Stella followed her. "The Gibson System database…" Nana whispered. She placed her hand on a pad on the desk and the computer sprung to life, asking for a password.

"Password: 1999." Nana said. A message appeared saying access had been granted, and the home screen popped up.

"It was the year he was born." Nana told her. "Father was born in 1999."

"_Your_ father." Stella countered. "Mine wasn't born on Earth."

"He's not your father, Stella." Nana repeated. "And that woman called Mii isn't your mother. She didn't give birth to you, and they didn't create you. You were created through science, as a weapon of humanity."

"Eso no es cierto."

"Why do you think you're so good at playing the piano?" Nana asked her. "You picked it up on the first try. No one can do that. No one but someone who was made to be perfect."

"That's not true either."

"You can deny it all you want." Nana told her. "But, as the human's say, the proof is in the pudding." She clicked on a file. "This is a list of the names of all the GRAY clones, all the way from the eldest of the 2nd generation, to the only 3rd generation clone in existence." She smiled. "And it's not a coincidence her name is Stella."

"Stella's a common name." Stella countered.

Nana smirked. "You were born on the 22nd, right? September 22, 2039?" She pointed to the file. "So was she. You had black hair and blue eyes as a baby? So did she."

"I still don't believe you." Stella insisted.

"If all that didn't convince you," Nana said " Put your hand on this pad. If you're really a GRAY clone, the system will recognize you. If not, it won't even read your print."

Stella looked at the scanner pad, and shrugged. "I have nothing to lose." She walked up to it and nonchalantly pressed her hand to the pad.

The machine whirred for a bit, then, to Stella's horror, it pinged.

"DNA RECOGNIZED." It said in it's mechanical voice. "BLACK ROCK SHOOTER, CO-NAMED STELLA. ACCESS GRANTED."

Stella felt her hand tremble. "N-No es posible …"

Nana chuckled. "Oh but it is, _sis_~" She said. "You were born through the glory of science. A machine made to save our planet. And you go off with the people who are trying to destroy it."

Stella took her hand off the pad and pressed it again.

"DNA RECOGNIZED. BLACK ROCK SHOOTER, CO-NAMED STELLA. ACCESS GRANTED."

And again.

"DNA RECOGNIZED. BLACK ROCK SHOOTER, CO-NAMED STELLA. ACCESS GRANTED."

And again.

"DNA RECOGNIZED. BLACK ROCK SHOOTER, CO-NAMED STELLA. ACCESS GRANTED."

Again.

"DNA RECOGNIZED"

"_DNA RECOGNIZED"_

Stella backed away from the computer as quickly as possible and clutched her head. She felt tears pour down her cheeks as she gasped for breath. She'd never been so overwhelmed in her life as everything she had known and trusted came crashing down around her.

She had never felt so incredibly alone.

"Mommy…" She cried out. "Mommy, Daddy, ayúdeme!"

"They're not your parents, Stella." Nana insisted. "They lied to you."

"Cállate." Stella squeezed her hands over her ears to try to shut out the thoughts in her head. "Y-You're lying! Why are you doing this to me?! Who are you?!"

"I told you, I'm your sister." Nana said.

"No you're not!" Stella cried.

Then she heard something she couldn't help but think of as comforting.

"Stella! Mija!"

Her mother's voice.

"_She's not your mother."_

"Stella!"

Her father's voice, too.

"_And he's not your father."_

She turned and looked to the doorway. Her mother and father were standing there with worried expressions that changed to horror.

"What have you told her?!" Lirio demanded.

Nana smirked. "The truth."

Slowly, Stella pulled herself to her feet and faced them.

"Mother…?" She whispered. "What's…going on?"

…

November 14, 2051

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

A young woman with long white hair sat on a fancy white chair in the middle of a wide room. The look outside the window showed a sky full of stars, but it was not nighttime; the room, or palace for that matter, was in space.

The woman opened her bright magenta eyes and stood up, smiling.

"It looks like she found her." She said. "My perfect daughter has been found."

…

November 14, 2051

Location: Aokigahara, Mt. Fuji, Japan

12:40 P.M.

Mii reached forward and embraced Stella in a hug, and Stella clung to her.

"Mother, please tell me it's not true…" She whispered. "Please tell me I'm dreaming. Tell me she's lying. Please."

Mii didn't answer. Instead, she pulled away and stroked Stella's hair, looking very sad and very conflicted.

Stella pulled away from her and stepped back out of her grasp. "It can't be true…" Stella stumbled backward. "You lied to me…?"

"We didn't-" Mii began, but Stella dropped to the floor.

"You lied to me. Por que?!" She put her head in her hands. "How much? How long?! Since the day I was born I've been lied to about my existence!"

"Stella!" Mii begged. She tried to rush to her daughter, but Stella stood up and backed away.

"I don't know…" She whimpered. "Who are you, Mother? Who am I?! I don't know!"

"She's not taking it as well as I'd hoped she would." Nana said. "Rest assured, our _real_ mother will come for us soon, Stella."

Stella shook her head. "No! She's not MY mother!"

"Stella, please!" Lirio begged her. "Just come with us! We can explain everything!" He ran towards her. "It'll be alright. I promise."

"No!" Stella shook her head. "It WON'T be alright!" She felt her legs shake. "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ANYMORE!" With those last words, she blew past them and sprinted out the door and into the forest.

"Stella!" Mii and Lirio both called out after her. Lirio ran after her and disappeared out the door, but as Mii was about to follow she was stopped by a sickly sweet, all too familiar voice.

"Well, this has certainly been a most entertaining evening."

She whirled around and saw, standing behind her, a tall, beautiful woman with long white hair and magenta eyes.

"You…" She whispered. "General White Rock Shooter."

…

Stella kept running. She had no idea where she was or which way she was going, she could only run. Even though there was no going back, no escaping the truth that had crashed down on her, she had to run and run and run and keep running.

"_It was all a lie…"_

She couldn't stop.

"_Everything was a lie." _

Images flashed before her mind; those of her mother and father and her life before this horrible revelation;

_"Mommy, Daddy, watch me!" Stella called out. Mii watched as her daughter grabbed hold of a knobby tree and climbed to the lowest branch._

_"Tenga cuidado, darling." Mii called out._

_Stella just giggled more and waved at them. "Look it, Mommy, look it!"_

_Mii chuckled and looked at Lirio. "She has your climbing skills."_

All the times her mother sang her to sleep;

_"And who but my Lady Greensleeves." Mii finished. Stella sighed and smiled, lying back on the pillow._

_"I like it when you sing to me." She said._

_"I like that you're not too old to like it." Mii replied with a smile._

As far back as she could remember…

_A noise sounded outside the window, startling the two. Mii, fearing it might be an armament, tensed up and Stella, sensing her mother's tension, began to whimper._

_"Oh…" Mii crooned softly to her daughter. "No se preocupe, little one. It was just the wind."_

She had been their daughter.

_Stella detached herself from Mii briefly to look up at her parents, who smiled down at her, their eyes full of love._

_"That's right, little one." Mii said. "You're our daughter."_

"STELLA!" She heard her father's voice not far behind her. Panicking, she began to run faster, but not fast enough as he caught her arm and pulled her to a stop.

She tried to struggle out of his grip but he held fast. "LET ME GO!" She cried. "PLEASE!"

"Not on your life!" He pulled her against his chest and held her there, tightly. "I will NEVER let you go. Understand?"

Stella struggled a bit more, but eventually relaxed against Lirio's chest, dissolving into tears.

"Daddy…" She whimpered. "Daddy…"

"Shh…" He ran his hand through her hair softly, comforting her like he had when she was a little girl, and had just woken up from a nightmare. "I'm here. I'm here."

She felt her legs turn to jelly and collapse under her, but Lirio scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the side of the trail, sitting down with her.

After several minutes, she asked him "Is it true?"

He hesitated before he admitted "…Yes. It's true. I'm so sorry, Stella."

Stella choked back a sob. "Por que?"

"Why what?"

"Why everything?" She began. "Why did you take me in? Why did you call me your daughter? Why did you lie to me? Why am I even alive?"

"Don't talk like that." He scolded gently. "You're alive because we need you. Because you're important to us. And because we love you, which I guess is an answer to all of your questions, but I'll start at the beginning…

…

"This is all your fault." Mii whispered, stepping forward.

White smiled her devilish smile. "Me? What did I do?"

"LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALONE!" Mii cried. "Stop tormenting her! She's only twelve!"

"_Your_ daughter?" White laughed and drew her scythe. "You mean mine."

"No!" Mii drew her axe and lunged forward. "I MEAN MINE!"

There was a clang as their weapons met, and White smiled again, a devilish, evil smile.

…

"Before you came along;" Lirio began "Your mother and I had a daughter." He smiled. "She's your big sister. Her name was Alejandra."

Stella looked up at him.

"She was considered illegally conceived." He continued. "On the night she was born, we were ordered to get rid of her, or else she would be killed." He hung his head. "She would be about eighteen years old by now."

"Can we go visit her?" Stella asked, with a child's voice.

Lirio shook his head. "Not in the way you'd like to." He said. "She passed away."

Stella's breath caught in her throat. "I'm sorry Daddy…"

He smiled down at her. "Don't you worry about that." He said stroking her hair.

…

Mii pulled away and drew her axe again.

White chuckled. "You're fooling yourself, Mii." She said. "She's my daughter. Not yours. My blood runs in her veins!"

"Then where were you?!" Mii screamed at her. "When I found her at three days old, she had been _abandoned under a rock_!" She scoffed. "Blood doesn't make you a mother! It was MY breast she drank from! Not yours!" She lunged forward again, but White smacked her away with the back of her axe and sent her flying into a flight of stairs.

…

"How did she die?" Stella asked.

Lirio sighed. "We left her at an old monastery with a group of monks." He said. "About four years later, we had raided a village and were examining the damage when Mii recognized the monastery we'd left Alejandra in four years prior." He shuddered. "She'd been crushed by falling rocks. Mii was the one who held her as she…" He shook his head.

Stella felt a strange sadness well up in her chest for the sister she never knew. "I'm so sorry, Daddy."

…

Before Mii could move, White lunged for her and dealt her three good blows before kicking her to the ground, picking her up, and tossing her across the room again. Mii slammed into the monitors and knocked them over, feeling the wind rush from her lungs.

"Like I said, you're fooling yourself." White said. "She is MY daughter. She has MY DNA and was created by ME."

"You…weren't even there…" Mii muttered.

"I will be." White said with a chuckle. "I'll swoop in and steal her away from this madness you've bestowed upon her. She'll be perfect for my plans." White flashed a smile and licked her lips. "I bet she'll taste delicious."

Mii's eyes widened.

…

Lirio smiled and patted her head again. "I always like to tell myself," He said "That Alejandra was the one that led us to you. That she wanted us to find you so we wouldn't be sad anymore." He kissed her cheek. "And it worked. These past twelve years have been the happiest of our lives."

…

Using all her remaining strength, strength she didn't know she possessed, Mii stood up, drew her axe, and with a cry of rage lunged at White. She woman seemed unfazed at first, but when Mii's attacks came quicker and quicker and her axe began to glow red, Mii saw her falter.

"YOU WILL NEVER…!" Mii struck her with each word.

"TOUCH!"

She saw White stumble.

"MY!"

Her scythe flew out of her hands and she fell to the ground.

"DAUGHTER!" Mii brought her axe down.

There was a sickening crunch, pop, and a tearing sound, and then White screamed a blood curtailing scream that could be heard for miles.

Mii looked down. Her axe was covered in blood.

And White's severed arm lay a few feet away.

…

Lirio and Stella looked up at the sound of the scream. Neither of them knew what to expect when they took off running down the path again, but the sight they saw when they got there was sickening.

Mii looked up at her fiancé and daughter, still holding her axe, which was still covered in blood. White had sat up and was clutching the bloody socket of what remained of her arm, moaning in pain.

"MOTHER!" Nana rushed over to her mother and tried to rend to her wound, then cocked her gun and pointed it at Mii. "Prepare to die you-"

White stopped her.

"Well…" She sat up, breathless. "You win this round…Mii. However I will return. And I will want my daughter. And I intend to get her, one way or another." Then, in a flash of pink, White, Nana, and white's severed arm all disappeared.

Stella looked at Mii, who was starring down at the blood on the floor.

"Mommy?" She asked. "I wanna go home now."

* * *

**Yep.**

**...Goodnight.**


	20. Subsequent

**School started. That's why I haven't been here. Been so busy I barely have time to breathe. So, expect updated every 1-2 weeks, since I have many other things on my plate.**  
**Questions!**

**HARZ X, I'm sorry to say your questions would contain spoilers if answered, but sit tight and they will be. As for BRSFangirl109, Yes, I will be shipping Shizu and Rothcol... Also, I wasn't thinking of having Kali get better, but maybe. Three, I have no idea, four, yes, Nana is on White's side, and five, SPOILER!**

**That's it for now Chico's and chica's! (Hehe, I have Spanish this year!) Enjoy!**

* * *

November 14, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

1:20 P.M.

"You did WHAT?" Zaha demanded.

Mii stood up in defiance. "She was threatening my daughter!"

"You CUT OFF the GENERAL'S ARM!" He cried. "Do you know POSSIBLY how much trouble we're in?!"

"We'd be in trouble if I hadn't done anything!" She countered. "What was I supposed to do, let her take Stella?!"

Zaha pinched the bridge of his nose. "I knew nothing good would come of taking in that child."

"Don't blame this on Stella! No es su culpa!" Mii exclaimed.

All the while Rothcol just sat back, watching. After several minutes, he piped up "This is sick."

Lirio turned to look at him. "Pardon?"

Rothcol stood up. "Why is this even a discussion?! This is YOUR daughter we're talking about here," He gestured to Mii and Lirio "And someone wants to kidnap her!"

"We can't fight the General." Zaha replied. "We'll have to surrender. It's the only way to stay alive."

"What about her then?!" Rothcol stood up, angry now. "She's TWELVE YEARS OLD! She shouldn't be going through this at all!"

"The General is far too strong-" Zaha began.

"I don't care about the General!" Rothcol shouted. "Human history is full of revolts! This'll just be another one! Or it would be if you weren't so damn scared about it!" With that, he got up and stormed out of the room.

He continued down the hall and looked back to see Shizu following him.

"Don't try to stop me." He said.

"I won't." She replied. "I agree with you. Stella's my cousin's daughter, and she's my family." She caught his arm and made him slow down. "I just want to know where you're going."

"I have an idea." Rothcol said. "I know where my team is. We're few, but if we joined you in your fight-"

"I highly doubt they'd want to help us." She protested.

"Then I'll make them." He replied. "And if not them, there are colonies; tiny colonies of humans scattered here and there. I'll look there too."

Shizu looked him up and down. "Why are you doing this for us?"

"Simple." He answered. "Because you're my friends."

Shizu looked taken aback at this, and as she smiled, he could see tears welling up in her eyes.

…

Stella sat in front of her bay window, starring out as the rain poured down. Her hair was wet from having bathed earlier, and she had changed into a plain white dress for the meantime.

She looked about her room, probably for the first time actually seeing all the detail. She had never noticed how little her room had changed from when she was a baby. She still had all the same pink accessories and wallpaper she had from back when she was an infant.

Stella jumped up and ran to the closet, flinging open the door, and saw the disassembled set pieces of her old crib. The place that she had slept until she was too big and started being able to climb out, after which her parents deemed her ready for a "big-girl bed."

She stepped inside the closet and turned on the light. Considering most of her clothes were put away in drawers, all this space was used for was for storage. She looked around and picked up a soft piece of blue cloth covered in shooting stars.

Her baby blanket.

She remembered being incredibly attached to her blanket, as most children are, Shizu had assured her. Never the less, eventually she outgrew her love for the piece of cloth, and it was stowed away in the closet.

Stella looked around again, this time her eyes settled on a large cardboard box. She pulled it out and dug through it, finding several baby and teething toys.

She sat back on her heels. Her entire life had been spent here, in this house. She'd learned to walk here, learned to talk here, everything she knew was here.

Everything she knew was that, as long as she could remember, her mother and father had been holding her.

She may not have been their flesh and blood, but they treated her as such. Her mother had never been pregnant with her, but she still breastfed her like she was her own newborn baby. They had photos of all her birthdays and her old drawings still hung on the wall. Her father had even kept a lock of her hair from when she was a baby.

She turned around as the door opened and her mother entered the room. She approached her almost tentatively and knelt down beside her.

"I had almost forgotten about all this." She said. "Not that I ever could. It was such a happy time." She brushed a bit of Stella's wet hair behind her ear. "Usted fue una gran alegría."

Stella felt a wave of sadness wash over her, and forced herself to hold it back. "Why?" She whispered. "Why did you take me in? Por qué me quieres?"

Mii sighed. "At first, I thought that, perhaps, you would fill the hole in my heart left by your sister's death." She shook her head. "But you took an entirely new place in my soul, and you made me so happy. I felt so complete when I held you. I felt like a mother again." She looked at Stella. "But I knew from the second I held you that I wanted our future to include you."

Stella was finding it harder and harder to push down her sadness, and as she reached into the box one last time, she pulled out something that caused her to squeak in surprise.

Amigo.

The toy her mother had mended for her. The toy she had carried around with her everywhere for years. She couldn't even remember putting him back here.

Suddenly the floodgates open, and with Amigo clutched tightly in her arms, she began to sob uncontrollably.

Mii immediately took her daughter into her arms and held her close to her, like she had that night when they'd first found her.

There would be no doubt in anyone's mind that Stella was Mii's true and real daughter.

…

Rothcol starred at the phone for a while. What if this wasn't the way to go about this? He comrades would call him crazy. He might be excluded from the team! The thought of being abandoned by his own race frightened him in ways unimaginable.

He heard someone clear their throat, and then he looked up to see Shizu standing in front of him. She smiled at him warmly, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Even if the humans rejected him, these aliens would still be his friends. At the very least, he had Shizu. And most likely he had Mii, Lirio, Stella, and even Mazuma on his side as well.

However it was Shizu's gentle touch and warm eyes that gave him the assurance and strength to pick up the phone, dial the number, and wait for someone to answer.

"Hello?!" He heard Phobos's voice on the other end.

"Phobos. It's Rothcol. Don't talk, just let me explain. I guarantee you won't believe it."

* * *

**Meow meow.**

**Sorry about my absence. I'll be super busy, but since this story is quickly reaching a climax hopefully I'll be able to get it done. See you, love you all, and remember, I'm in Spanish 1 and AP History/English. I do not have a telepathy class.**

**Thanks!**


	21. Chastity

**It's 12:00 in the morning on a school night...and I'm here posting things.**

**This is the on time I'm glad there were no questions, but after this I may have a bit more time to answer them. But right now I'm tired. So enjoy.**

* * *

November 16, 2051

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

Nana diligently wrapped the bandage around White's arm, reattaching the severed limb to its owner. White lay her head back against the chair and said nothing.

Finally Nana, who could no longer stand the silence, asked "Mother, are you in pain?"

White faked a sad smile. "Yes my darling. I'm in pain at the thought of my precious daughter being brainwashed and taken from me."

Nana stood. "You still have me, mother."

White looked at her and smiled. "Yes…I suppose I do." She sighed. "But a mother cannot choose her favorite child."

"If you want, I can go get her."

White shook her head. "No, I can't bear the thought of losing you, Nana. We'll just have to wait for them to comply."

"What if they don't?!" Nana cried out. "I hate seeing you in so much pain, Mother!"

White looked at her daughter and beckoned her closer, and with her functioning hand stroked her hair.

"Don't worry about me, sweetheart~" She said soothingly. "They'll bring her."

"How can you be sure?"

White smiled. Her arm glowed magenta, and with a crunch was snapped into place, violently jerking up before flopping by her side.

White raised her hand and clenched her fingers. "That's how I'm sure." She replied. "No one dares go against me~"

…

November 16, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

7:40 P.M.

"ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THE QUESTION!" Marion shouted.

Rothcol cringed and held the phone away from his ear. "Look, just so you know Commander, this thing really amplifies sound."

Two days after his initial call to Phobos, the Lieutenant had relayed his call to Marion.

And Marion was less than pleased.

"I DON'T CARE!" Marion replied. "You're asking us to go against our own race to aid the people who turned our planet into a post-apocalyptic wasteland!"

"I'm not!" Rothcol protested. "We're aiding an alien CHILD, Commander! One who's at risk of being kidnapped!"

"She's still an alien!"

"She's TWELVE WYEARS OLD!"

Marion sighed. "We can't Sergeant."

"Why the hell not?!" Rothcol yelled, fueled by a burst of anger. "We've been fighting for 19 years, Commander! And where's it gotten us?! No where! These so called beasts took me in when I was injured! They fed me! They housed me! They trusted me as a friend! I won't just turn around and start shooting them!"

"You've obviously lost touch with reality, Sergeant!" Marion countered. "You've turned your back on the human race!"

"Really?! Because it seems to me the creatures on this ship are THREE TIMES AS HUMAN as and of US!"

The other side was silent, and as soon as Rothcol was about to respond, Marion hung up.

"Damn it!" Rothcol shouted, throwing down the phone. Shizu walked in and cringed at the metal clang the machine made.

Rothcol clenched his fist and punched the wall, a gesture that was unusual for him. Shizu held back, almost slightly afraid, and watched as he stormed out of the room.

A bit later she saw him out the window, walking through the streets. She knew he wouldn't try to leave, as his own team had basically abandoned him.

She raced down the stairs, grabbed her coat off the hanger and followed him.

…

Mii sat on the couch in the living room, her knees pulled up to her chest. She had been desperately trying to come up with some sort of plan to guarantee her daughter's safety, but every one ended in a dead end.

She laid her head back. She'd never felt so helpless before. Every other threat she could face, but this…this was far too much.

Suddenly the green light on the TV beeped, indicating there was someone on the line who wanted to talk to them. She hesitated, and then picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and gasped.

One would have guessed that Mii was looking into a mirror, for the young lady on the screen appeared to be the spitting image of her in every way, shape and form. However if looked at closely, one would notice that the woman on the screen was dressed in different attire, and a slow smirk formed on her face where Mii's stayed shocked.

"Hey sis." The woman said. "Miss me?"

Mii finally found her voice. "Elly?!" She cried. "Qué estás haciendo?!"

Elly shrugged. "I heard you got into a bit of trouble with the government. Funny how it ended up being you and not me, right? Anyway, I'm here to save your ass."

Mii shook her head slowly. "How did you find out?"

"I work for Arcana, Mii." Elly replied. "I know a lot of stuff. So, you're in trouble and the General wants your head. You wanna tell me why?"

"It's a long story…" Mii began.

"I can take my break now." Elly replied, putting her feet up and making a sweeping gesture with her hand. "Proceed."

"Um…" Mii found herself fumbling for words. "Well…you're an aunt now-"

"I KNEW THAT'S WHY YOU RAN AWAY!"

"Can I tell the story, please?" Mii asked, annoyed. "No, I didn't run away because I was pregnant."

"Your kid had to come from somewhere."

"Y la hizo…look, it's complicated-"

She heard footsteps behind her, and before anyone could move, Elly smirked. "Hey, Lirio, long time no see~"

"Oh gods, not you again." Lirio said. He stood behind the couch and leaned on the back, rubbing his forehead.

"What, you're not happy to see me?" Elly asked. "Someone's a bit grumpy~"

Lirio growled.

Elly smirked and leaned back. "So, where is this adorable new niece of mine? I'd quite like to meet her."

Mii stood up and looked down the hall. "Stella, Mija, come here for a minute!"

Stella, having changed into a light pink dress and her long black hair now in braids, entered the living room and looked around.

"Mija…" Mii pointed at the screen. "This is your Auntie Elly."

Stella moved closer to the monitor and curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Auntie."

Elly squealed. "YOU ARE SO CUTE!" She looked her up and down. "Interesting hair color though…"

"Elly…" Mii whispered. "Stella's…technically…adopted…"

Elly nodded. "So…you didn't cheat?"

"NO I DIDN'T CHEAT!" Mii cried. "What do you take me for?!"

"Easy sis, I'm just teasing~" Elly said with a smile as she stood up. "Let me go get the rest of the team. I think they'd like to meet you."

…

November 16, 2051

Location: San Francisco, C.A.

7:45 A.M.

Xiaoming sharpened his knife quietly in the corner of the room, remembering what Phobos had told him.

"It's not our problem." Alexey insisted when he saw Xiaoming moping. "It was Rothcol's choice."

"Still." Xiaoming protested. "That girl was twelve years old. We're just sitting here and-"

"I already told you it's not our problem." Alexey scolded him. "We're humans. Our job is too protect THIS planet, not someone else's."

Xiaoming growled. "Maybe I'm tired of protecting this planet."

"You and Rothcol both!" Alexey chided. "How long is it gonna take for you to let go?!"

"Maybe we already have."

They both looked toward the voice, which came from Lars, who sat at he other end of the room with the youngest of their group, Darry.

Lars looked up at them. "Maybe we have let go. Maybe that's the problem."

"Your problem, maybe." Alexey replied. "This is how you battle. You have to numb yourself."

"Good god, look at yourselves!" Darry shot up, knocking his chair over. "We've turned into fucking robots, guys! What's the point in fighting for the few people still alive out there if THIS is all that's left of us?!" He kicked the chair. "I'm tired of all this! Is it so bad that I want to actually FEEL again for a change?!"

"Rothcol was…no, is our comrade." Lars assured him.

"I wanna believe him." Darry whimpered, like a little boy who had just gotten put in time-out. "I don't wanna fight anymore."

Everyone was silent for quite a while, before Xiaoming said "My sister always believed that the aliens attacked because we'd wronged them." He hung his head. "She thought if we could make it right they would leave us alone."

Lars stood up. "I think several of us would be willing to find out."

"This might get us killed." Alexey piped up.

"It also might get us where guns and brute force never could." Lars countered. "I'll go round up whoever else is willing to come along. After that, Xiao, we'll just have to hope Ekishou was right."

…

November 16, 2051

Location: Tokyo, Japan

7:45 P.M.

Shizu found Rothcol sitting on a rock, overlooking the highway. He didn't turn as she approached, even as she scuffed her feet as not to surprise him, and finally cleared her throat.

He still didn't turn, but he spoke quietly "Why don't they understand?"

Shizu sat beside him on the ground.

"They should trust me." He said again. "I wouldn't lead them into a trap."

"They trust you." Shizu assured him. "It's me they don't trust."

"And I don't get that."

She shrugged. "Well, they never met me. It's only natural."

Rothcol got off the rock and sat beside her on the ground. "I'd never met you before, and you trusted _me_."

"You seemed different." She whispered. "You looked kind. I knew you wouldn't have tried to hurt me."

"And what if I did?" He asked.

"But you didn't, did you?"

He couldn't reply to that, only sigh.

She brushed a strand of wavy blonde hair behind her ear. "You seemed different. You are different. That's why I opened up to you. True, you could have taken advantage of me, and used me and eventually hurt me, but you never did, and by the way things look, I don't think you plan to." She looked up at him. "The only thing I can't figure out is why."

He was silent for quite a while, before he said "You said that you felt like you had lost your brother because of his condition. I lost someone. And it hurt, so that's why." He shrugged. "Before she was the reason I fought, because fighting distracted me from the pain. Now I can't fight, because fighting hurts to much." He flashed her a faint smile. "It's like a box of cookies. You eat one, and you have to eat the whole box, because your teeth start to itch. That's what getting a taste of peace is like. Or war. It can work both ways." He sighed. "When you fight it hurts so you fight more to distract yourself, and once you stop fighting, you can never pick up a gun again." He shrugged. "I know that's not what it is for most people, but it is for me."

"I think that's a good philosophy." Shizu said. "This girl…was she nice?"

Rothcol was silent again. "…Yes."

"Did you…love her?"

"…Yes."

She looked up at the sky. Now that the clouds were dispersing, bright stars could be seen, lighting up the sky like a field of diamonds.

"Do you think you'll ever love again?"

Neither of them answered that. Neither of them had to.

Rothcol didn't remember his hand moving to hold hers before it did, he didn't remember pulling her on top of him before it happened, and he didn't know he was kissing her until their lips connected.

His hands moved on their own as they strayed around her body. He kissed her neck gently and she gripped his shoulders, her breath tickling his ear. Just as he began to unbutton her collar she pushed him away, almost reluctantly, and whispered "We can't…"

Rothcol withdrew his hands. "If you're not ready…" He said "I can wait."

Shizu shook her head. "It's not that." She said. "I'm…I'm not human."

He nodded. "I know."

"I don't age as quickly." She told him. "Our race ages at about half the speed of humans." She looked away. "You'll die before I do. I know that if we do this tonight I won't be able to let go of you. And when you die, I'll still be here." She looked up at him with a tear streaked face.

He looked away.

"I want to do this." She assured him. "You have no idea how much I want this. But…"

"Shizu." He said, taking her hands "Haven't we suffered enough?" He smiled for her. "Lets not think about what might happen. Let's just utilize the time we have."

Rothcol saw tears slip down her cheeks and fall onto their hands. "One more thing…" She said. "Do we…have to do it here? Out in the open?"

"No, we can go back." He said.

She smiled and blushed as he helped her up. She held his hand on their way back, and slowly and quietly led him to her bedroom.

He sat down on the bed while she stood, locked the door, made sure it was locked, and then turned back to him. "I don't really know where to start." She whispered. "I've never done this before."

He thought for a minute, and then lay down, scooted over to one side, and patted the bed next to him. "We'll start here."

She blushed and smiled, but before she lay down she removed her glasses and ponytail, letting her long, golden hair spill around her shoulders in luscious waves and making Rothcol's breath catch in his throat.

She lay down next to him. "Um…"

He changed position so he was now half on top of her and kissed her gently again. She reciprocated, and before _he_ could make another move she had already flipped him over and torn off his shirt. He unbuttoned her collar and removed her sweater, his hands gently caressing her now freed skin, her soft, lithe body now tangled in his.

They'd let themselves go, and now there was no turning back.

* * *

**Yes, Elly=Tightmare Elly from the Arcana series.**

**Now, I know you guys are the ones usually asking me questions, but I really need your opinion on this one thing...**

**Should Shizu get pregnant?**

**You guys wanted those two to get closer, and I don't think you could get any closer than that. I would just like an opinion on whether to have Shizu get pregnant or not.**

**Well, nighty night!**


	22. Onset

**OUGAUGROUGROAUGRAG!**

**Oh. My. God.**

**School CANNOT have kept me this busy.**

**AP European History is HARD! Japanese club is HARD! EVERYTHING IS HARD!**

**But before we get started, I wanted to clarify something;**

**First of all, I really wanted to address the idea of Shizu's pregnancy. The main thing you all seemed to be concerned about was how it would effect the final battle with White, which, in their time, will be in a matter of days. I'm not saying you guys are dumb, far from it, actually. You all are very intellectual, or so your reviews make it seem. But I was an A student in biology last year, and we spent several weeks focusing on human reproduction. On top of that, the concept has intrigued me for years, and after several google searches and readings, I can only assume, it's not your fault, I just know a lot more about the concept. So let me clarify...**

**The first month of pregnancy is when the egg is first implanted into the uterine wall. However, most women don't actually notice until A) They miss a period (usually a few weeks after the first month), or B) They begin to experience the symptoms, such as vomiting, tiredness, stomach cramps, ect, which usually happens around the third month. The battle with White will be coming up probably in the next chapter, days away from when Shizu and Rothcol first had sex, so there's no way Shizu would notice she was pregnant before that time. Most likely it'll happen after, probably when she begins actually feeling the effects.**

**Uh, second thing, I'm predicting about 3-4 more chapters for this story. Next one will be the final battle with White! WE'RE ALMOST THERE, PEOPLE!**

**Once again, thanks to all my readers and reviewers, my always awesome editor Omega, and my new friend Mio-san!**

**Now, I have more homework to do, so ENJOY!**

* * *

November 17, 2051

Location: Mother Ship

12:30 P.M.

Shizu gripped Rothcol's shoulders as the two of them fell back again, and she realized that her body was shaking even though she was incredibly hot. She took a deep breath of air and realized the room smelled distinctly of salt and sweat and other bodily fluids. Her hair was wet and was starting to curl from the humidity, and she relaxed, laying her head on his chest and trying to battle the quickly invading exhaustion.

Rothcol lay beneath her, still panting, and gently stroked her back in an attempt to calm her down. He swallowed, his throat dry, and asked in a whisper "...You alright?"

Shizu hesitated, gathered her strength, and nodded. "I've...never done that...before."

Rothcol nodded. "Same here."

She rolled off of him and lay on her side next to him, using her arm as a pillow and grabbing for the covers. It amazed him how, even after what they'd just done, she was still so shy. It was so adorable he almost laughed out loud. And he would have, had he the strength to. Instead, he turned onto his side and snuggled closer to her, pulling the covers over the two of them and pulling Shizu close against him. She tensed up, but seconds later she relaxed and snuggled into him, too.

They lay in silence for quite a while, slowly nodding off into sleep, their arms still wrapped loosely around each other-

"NOT FORWARD, REVERSE!"

Rothcol's eyes flew open just as a loud "SMASH" resonated through the ship, shaking the walls. He and Shizu sat up, threw on barely enough clothes to go outside, and ran out to the ship's docking area, where the PSS jet, the Brunhilde, had crashed nose first.

Slowly, eight human men clambered out of the jet. Xiaoming looked at the damage and immediately turned on Darry.

"I told you to back up! We were too close!"

"We made it here, didn't we?" The boy shrugged.

"BUT WE CAN'T EXACTLY GET BACK NOW! THE DAMN SHIP IS BUSTED!"

"Jeez Xiao, cool it." Koichi said. He looked past him and waved at Rothcol. "Hey man, what's up?"

"What are you guys doing here?" Rothcol asked.

"We heard about your dilemma." Chris said. "We came to help."

"But..." Rothcol almost teared up. "Marion said-"

"We never followed the rules before." Darry said. "Or at least I didn't."

"You're our friend, Rothcol." Alexey said, patting his back. He looked over at Shizu and smiled. "And any friend of Rothcol's is a friend of ours...why are you all sweaty?" Alexey asked, wiping his hand off.

Xiaoming looked from Rothcol to Shizu and then back to Rothcol, and his eyes widened in realization. "Dude..."

Darry was a bit more forward. "YOU GOT TO BANG AN ALIEN CHICK?! THAT IS SO AWESOME!"

Chris rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't know we'd gotten THAT friendly with them."

"It would make sense!" Darry countered. "She's probably got, like, two vaginas or something!"

Shizu's eyes widened and her face turned bright red, as did Rothcol's, who grabbed Darry by the back of the collar. "Stop talking before I throw you off the platform."

...

Elly crossed her legs, adorned by sexy thigh-high boots, and watched with a smile as the human males surveyed her sister's ship. She smirked at Mii and pulled her hood down, shaking out her purple hair.

"You've made yourself quite at home." Mii commented. "That is, for only having arrived a few minutes ago."

"It's a good thing you have two docks, then." Elly replied.

Mii smirked. "En caso de que algo como esto suceda." She said, watching as the rest of the 29th Arcana battalion emerged from their ship.

The woman leading them could easily be identified by the large, pink visor she wore that curved up around her face like a pair of horns. Beside her strode another woman with long white hair and magenta eyes, this one with ram's horns growing from her skull. Two more women followed, one scantily clad one with long orange hair and another with short blonde hair hanging in her face, and finally a man with spiked black hair and obsidian eyes stepped forward.

The woman with the glasses stepped towards Zaha. "Commander Zaha?"

"That would be me." The elderly gentleman replied.

"I am Commander Farside Bunny of the 29th Arcana battalion. This," She gestured to the woman with the horns "Is my Lieutenant, Ram, and the rest of my crew is Loveness,"

The woman with orange hair waved

"Acta,"

The blonde girl shrank back a bit.

"And Ron."

"Yo." Ron said.

"And you've already met our troublemaker." Farside said, pointing at Elly.

Darry immediately ran forward, his teenage eyes bugging out of his head. "ALIEN BABES!"

"DARRY GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" Lars shouted, grabbing the young man by his collar and dragging him back. The boy struggled against his superior but Lars held fast.

Farside scoffed. "He's not with you, is he?"

"No, he happens to be a native to this planet." Zaha replied.

Farside nodded, looking them up and down with distain. Shizu gripped Rothcol's hand in defense.

"They're not all like that." She said.

Loveness and Elly giggled and Shizu narrowed her eyes.

Farside shrugged. "I hope this won't get in the way. We cannot afford any distractions when dealing with the General."

"Why are you helping us, anyway?" Mazuma piped up. "You're part of the government's personal army. Won't you get in a lot of trouble?"

Ram spoke up. "We think that the General should really be responsible for her own actions." She said. "By the information we've gathered, she's already killed several of the GRAY clones. Stella and her 'sister' Nana are the only ones left."

"Good luck getting her to fess up."

"That's not exactly what we're going for." Farside said. "What we want to do is get her out of power...permanently." She turned to Zaha. "I have some plans I'd like to go over with you before we begin."

Zaha nodded. "Very well then, lead the way."

"I'm out, too." Mazuma said. "I got my own homework. And you two," he smirked back at Shizu and Rothcol. "Take a shower, will you? You smell like baby-making."

...

November 17, 2051

Location: Aokigahara, Mt. Fuji, Japan

8:20 P.M.

The dimly lit forest pathways flashed green, purple, and blue as the family of three teleported down. Stella looked around at the quietness of the Aokigahara forest at night and breathed a sigh, still unable to believe that this forest has been a popular place for suicide in the last few decades.

"We took you here when you were four days old." Mii said. "You probably don't remember it; this is where you were...'baptized' so to speak."

Stella stepped into the path of moonlight to gaze out at the flowing river in front of her, the water calmly streaming over the rocks, as if it was in no hurry at all.

She made her way to the tide pool on the side and dipped her hand in, an aura of familiarity sweeping over her.

Mii and Lirio followed her to the spot as she knelt in the water, taking handfuls of water and splashing them over her face. She took out her pigtails and removed her poncho and boots, and looked like she could barely stop herself from jumping in the river.

"Just like when I was twelve." Lirio said with a chuckle. "I loved the river."

Mii held up the satchel with the supplies inside, and motion to Stella. "Kneel right there, Mija." She pointed to the tide pool. Compliant, Stella knelt in the water.

Her parents sat on either side of her, and Mii removed a capped syringe filled with blood, which Stella knew was a mixture of both her mother's and father's. She closed her eyes and held out her arm, almost whispering the words along with her parents as the chant was recited.

"_With light from a half moon…In the pristine water of a flowing river, with the blood of two souls…Transfer our life into her."_

As the spell began to take effect, Stella felt a burning sensation run through her veins, like her blood had turned to fire. Her hands shook and she wanted to pull away, but she forced herself to remain still and the fire filled her chest and stomach, making her sweat.

"_And with this life given still…Give her the guise of a nighttime sky… Our energy hers, our lives hers… Give her our blood, our souls, divine."_

Finally, she felt a familiar sensation in her eye; her flame ignited and blazed brightly, filling the forest with the brightest blue glow anyone had ever seen. The fire turned to heat, then warmth, then finally faded away, as did her flame, and the forest was left silent once again.

"You now have our genes." Mii said. "Any DNA test will say that you're biologically ours."

Stella smiled. "Gracias…"

"General or not, White's not going to take you that easily." Lirio said. "After raising you for twelve years, I think we get a say in this~"

"We won't let her have you." Mii added. "We'll run away if we have to, but we won't be separated. We promise."

Lirio took Stella and Mii's hands, and the three of them said together "We promise."

They may have been about to say more, but Lirio's com buzzed and he answered it. "Hello?"

"Are you two done down there?" A feminine voice asked.

"Estamos a punto de terminar, Elly." Mii said. "We're about to head back up now."

"Awesome." Elly said. "Cause the attack is tomorrow, so I suggest you get as much sleep as you possibly can."

…

November 17, 2051

Location: UNKNOWN

Time: UNKNOWN

White watched as Nana diligently cleaned her blades and loaded her pistols, preparing for a final battle that could appear at any time. The gray-haired girl looked back at her and smiled, and White almost felt something in her heart twitch.

But she didn't. She refused to.

She stood up and retreated to her room, where she locked the door and sat on her bed, which was quite large and obviously made in expectation for two people. Reaching under her pillow, White pulled out a soft, pink music box with a decorative picture of a hear on it, and when she slowly opened it, it soothingly played "Dante's Prayer."

Inside the box were several seemingly worthless knick-knacks; an old quill pen, a small geode that had been broken open to reveal the gold interior, and a silver ring with a single ruby adorning the center. However, in the box was also two letters, each wrapped into a scroll shape, but one with a white tie and one with a black one. Shaking, White picked up the one with the black tie, opened it, and read:

_Dear Sing Love,_

_It is common interest of the council, in consideration of the safety of the GRAY experiments, that due to your reckless behavior you be removed from the GRAY project immediately._

There was more to the letter, but the only other thing White had bothered to read, even after all these years, was the list of signatures on the bottom; a third from the bottom was the carefully written name "Wyler Gibson."

White felt the throat close up as a lump formed in it, and she had to swallow to choke back her tears. Feeling the hot sting and itchiness in her nose, she quickly reached for the other letter and opened it:

_My dearest love,_

_It has been made fully known to me now that you are not of this Earth. The demonstrations you perform for the girls every day not only astounds them, it hypnotizes me. You're beauty is as ever radiant as it was when I had presumed you human._

_I shall make my intentions clear to you now; after this war is won, with your heal and consent, I wish to make you my wife. Accompanying this letter is a ring that has been passed through my family for generations on end, and I wish for you to wear this on our wedding day, should you accept my proposal. And if our species' will not allow us to be together, then my love, I am fully prepared to run away with you, perhaps even to your planet, as long as it's to spend my life with you._

_Forever and always,_

_-Wyler Gibson_

"I said yes, Wyler…" White whispered. She clutched the letter to her chest as she began to weep. "Why did you ask me to marry you in the first place?! Only to banish my from the very project we met in?! And then you tell me to wait for you, for you would come for me with a surprise?!" She threw her head back. "I'VE HAD IT! I'M DONE WAITING! I'LL BURN EVERYTHING WE MADE TOGETHER!" She growled through her tears. "Starting with our impudent clones."

* * *

**That was cool.**

**This seemed too short, so I added that bit with White at the end to lengthen it a bit. Now I'm happy with it.**

**I know I'm getting worse at updating, but I still can't read your mind and it would still be awesome if you could review. Thanks to all those of you who do review on this!**

**Now, I REALLY need to start my homework. Bye bye!**


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